CalicoOrigins
by jenspaztic
Summary: Two young mutants, Victor and James are growing up in a world not quite ready for them. When a new face appears in their little town she doesn't treat the boys any different than any other human, because she's not quite human herself. victor/oc
1. Chapter 1

1.1

The boy arrived home and walked toward his father with a bowed head and a hesitant pace. He had taken his time walking home and although it wasn't quite dark out he knew he would be reprimanded for his tardiness. It was dark enough in the inner room of the house where his father sat facing the flickering fireplace that illuminated the room in an inconsistent glow.

"What took you boy."

It wasn't a question that the gruff voice asked the child, it was a verbal confirmation that he had noticed the boy was not on time and actions would be taken to insure it didn't happen again.

"I...I'm sorry father." The boy answered quietly, failing in his attempt to steady his voice, "It won't happen again."

His father gave a non-committal grunt before speaking again.

"Have you at least done what I told you?"

"Yes Father"

"and...?"

"nothing father, nothing."

"are you sure? It won't help to protect him Victor."

"I know father but nothing has happened. Nothing different, He's just...normal."

"hmm...just keep watching."

"yes sir." The boy turned to leave the room when his father spoke again.

"And Victor..."

"Yes sir?"

"I haven't forgotten that you made me wait. I expect to find you in your room after supper, which you will not be attending. You know how I hate to punish you on an empty stomach."

"Yes Father."

* * *

Victor sat in the candlelit cellar on the edge of his cot, behind him a quarter moon shone through his small window. He dug the dirt from under his thick cat-like nails with a small knife, a nervous habit he hadn't realized he had. Silverware clinked the dining room signaling the dinner he wouldn't have was being served. He was hungry but his stomach didn't complain, it was used to missing meals. His father's heavy footsteps haunted the dusty air above his head as he counted the seconds until the door at the top of the stairs opened and what was almost a nightly ritual would begin.

"DOG!" his father yelled down to him as he slammed open the door, "YOU BETTER BE IN YOU'RE CORNER!"

Victor put his little knife under his poor excuse for a mattress. There was no use fighting back with it, that would just get his only luxury taken away. Instead he pulled closer into himself and waited for what he knew would come. His father had reached the bottom of the stairs and Victor found himself dizzy from the strong smell of alcohol radiating from his father like chemical armor. It was no surprise that he was drunk, but Victor's head began to ache from the stench.

The man holding Victor down was his father, the man calling him dog and beating his side with his merciless fists, the man that kept his son chained at night like the animal he tried to beat out of him. He was his father, the leader, and Victor had done something wrong...again, so he must be punished. That's what Victor told himself every time his father came at him drunk and with his fists, or a belt, or whatever object happened to be nearby. That's the way it had been for the last 16 years and Victor supposed that's the way things would remain until his father died, or until Victor was strong enough to challenge his authority. He wasn't stupid enough to try to fight back now, he could easily see that his father was bigger, faster and stronger. It would only make things worse if he fought back. That was something else Victor was fond of telling himself.

The chain around Victor's ankle rattled as he stirred awake, it wouldn't be the first time he'd blacked out during a beating. His ribs and face were sore but it was only a dull pain. Victor had noticed with every beating he seemed to recover faster, either that or he was getting used to it. As he started to drift off again he was awoken by his father, unlocking the shackle around his leg. Victor sat up slowly and put his feet on the floor.

"Father." Victor said weakly as his father walked up the stairs.

"Go to school boy. Do what I always ask you to do." He answered, not even bothering to turn a head toward his child.

"Yes sir."

* * *

The boy took his usual route to the one room school house, through the woods that emerged onto the Howlett's side yard where he would be greeted by the child his father was so concerned with. Jimmy was only a couple of years younger than Victor but he looked much smaller. His wavy hair and huge brown eyes stayed filled with a boyhood excitement that Victor didn't understand. As if on cue to the younger boy came tearing around the corner of the house.

"Victor! Wait! I'm coming!" the boy yelled as he slid on the dew soaked grass. Victor let a tiny smile tug at the corner of his lips as he slowed his gate to let Jimmy catch up to him.

"Victor, you're early, "Jimmy panted reaching into his bag for an apple that he handed Victor "Here, I snagged this for you."

Victor took it and took a large bite before speaking between chewing. "Thanks runt, but it's not 'snagging' when your mommy hands it to you."

"Just eat it."Jimmy laughed, "you're so difficult...are you coming over after school again today? I asked my mom if we could have supper earlier so you could eat with us tonight."

"Sure Jimmy, But I got to leave right after. My dad doesn't like waiting up for me."

"Great! I'll meet you after class." As they walked into the classroom Victor took his seat in the back corner and Jimmy took a desk towards the front. The other students filed in and took their usual seats, none of which were near Victor. The teacher walked in shortly after and began writing on the blackboard. He was a weak little man named Mr. Dearing who surely knew nothing about anything so Victor pulled out his knife and began carving at his nails. Everything was progressing as usual when the door behind Victor opened. Without turning around the teacher's shoulders dropped and he spoke.

"Ms. Bastion take a seat. It's only your first day but in my class you're expected to be on time."

"Yes sir." her voice was sweet, quiet. She took the seat beside Victor and stared at the board like the other students. Victor spared a glance her way, she was pretty. Her hair was the rusty brown of an autumn leaf and she had it pulled back in sweeping waves at the back of her head with a bright red ribbon. Her eyes were smoky blue like the sky at dusk and the darted around the front of the class observing everything happening around her. After a few minutes she reached into her satchel with her silk gloved hands and pulled out a small book and a small pencil. Victor wasn't sure why she was wearing gloves, maybe she was afraid her petite hands would get dirty. What he did know is once her book was out she was paying as much attention as he was. From the moment pencil touched paper nothing but drawings blanketed the page. She drew the teacher, Jimmy and a few other kids in the front of class. After a minute her eyes found Victor's and he quickly turned his attention back to his hands.

* * * * *

1.2

She was bored. There was nothing this backwoods teacher was going to tell her that she didn't already know. Moving to the country had been her mother's idea, something about fresh air. Rayne didn't think the air was any less fresh at they're old home but she did like the scenery here much more. She felt more comfortable here with all the space, she liked the trees and the fields. She liked walking out her front door and not being stared at by every other person in the town. She liked it here, even if she did have to hide.

The other students were getting up from their seats before Rayne realized class was over. She tucked her book into her bag and headed for the door. The boy that had sat beside her during class was already long gone. She had hoped he would stick around a minute. Something about him was... different. Lost in thought Rayne walked into the school yard, she minded her own business past the group of giggling girls talking about how strange the new girl was, past the boys talking about the group of girls and right into a few boys that were waiting for her outside the gate. The first came from the left, grabbing her bag and pouring its contents onto the ground. Without hesitation Rayne kicked him in the knee as hard as she could ripping her empty bag from his hands. As he crumpled to the ground his two friends ravaged the spilled contents. One boy, a particularly short blonde, was picking up any loose objects and tossing them into the air, the other had her sketchbooks.

"Give that back" she grumbled at the tall boy.

"Why should I?" tall boy laughed opening the book, "Are your...doodles so important?"

"yes" she answered sternly, pulling herself up as tall as she could make herself and still coming up a foot short. "They're 'important' because they're mine."

"oh" tall boy taunted, "well in that case, here you go my lady." He bowed and held her book open by the binding as he started ripping out the pages one by one and tossing them at her.

"STOP IT! STOP IT YOU BULLY!" she screamed catching as many pieces of her precious paper in the air and picking the ones she missed off the dirt path. She couldn't fight back, girls don't fight back. She couldn't draw attention to herself again, they had just got here. As she bent to pick up a missed sheet the shortest boy pushed her to the ground. She turned to get up she saw what was left of her book being held out to her at eye level. She followed the arm holding her book to its owner's face and was surprised when she saw the boy that sat beside her during class. She took the book from him and shoved it into her bag before he offered her a hand up. As he pulled her to her feet she saw a brown haired boy a few feet off watching the bullies run away.

"Thank you" she said, brushing herself off.

"No problem" the brown-haired boy said from behind her and she turned to face him. She recognized him from before, he was in the front of the room and there were sketches of him along with the others."My name is James, Victor calls me Jimmy though." he said gesturing to the other boy as he shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you... both of you" She smiled at them, more so at Victor who responded with a grunt and a glance at Jimmy.

"Right. Well we had better be going or we will be late for supper and you're parents are probably worried sick. I know mine would be if I was late home from my first day of classes."

"You are probably right." she said turning away from them before looking back one more time to say, "Thank you again." and she caught Victor looking back too.

* * *

Rayne walked into the open foyer and listened, her mother was upstairs with someone. Her father was still in the city until he could start his new job so whoever was with mother was probably paid help. Rayne told herself they were unpacking and if the truth was otherwise she didn't need to know. She walked through the kitchen and made her way to the back yard where she sat under a large tree. It wasn't near dusk yet but the edges of darkness were creeping at the sky. A light breeze played with her hair and made the trees creak above her. A few deer wandered at the edge of the field and Rayne was hoping if she sat out long enough the lynx she'd seen her first night here would venture out again. She sat and sketched as the sky turned grey. After a while she stopped drawing and just watched the progression of the world around her, the deer were gone but a lone rabbit was hopping around the field. Rayne slowly got to her feet, taking off her gloves and putting them in the band around her waist. She looked around, making sure no one was watching and checked the house windows to see if her mother was standing guard. Satisfied that she was in the clear she walked forward, crouched down and moving slowly so they didn't startle the animal. The rabbit hopped closer, not seeing the girl, or not thinking she was a threat. The girl pounced on the rabbit and snapped it's neck before it even knew what happened. Rayne straightened herself and dusted off her blouse stood, content with herself as she pulled on her gloves and walked to the servant quarters. They would appreciate the meat, her mom would just scold her for being 'unladylike'.

* * *  
Victor left the Howlett household as soon as supper was over. He wanted plenty of time to make it home so he could take the long path through the woods and pass the new girls house. He couldn't place it but there was something about her. As he neared her house he saw her walking to the small building beside the main house swinging a stuffed animal from one hand. Victor started to think she was a little old to have a toy like that before he realized it wasn't a toy. At that point a whole new question stirred his mind. What kind of girl touches dead animals? She knocked on the door of the little house and the door was opened by a middle age woman who smiled when she saw the child. The girl held up the rabbit and said something that made the older woman's smile spread even wider before she took the rabbit inside. The girl started to follow but before she could cross the threshold a shrill voice yelled from the back door.

"Rayne Elizabeth Bastion! Get in here!"

The girl's head snapped to the house and she took off running, only slowing to grab her bag from the ground before disappearing into the main house. The mystery behind the new girl was only getting deeper, Victor thought to himself as he continued on his way home.

* * *

"Rayne Elizabeth you are filthy! You are a 15 year old girl, practically a woman. you should not be so dirty!" her mother shrieked as she came into the house."Go upstairs, Miranda has a bath run for you and she's waiting to wash your hair."

"Yes mother" Rayne dropped her bag in the corner and started up the stairs when her mother yelled up to her."And don't forget the gloves Rayne."

"Yes ma'am" she hollered back.

Rayne hated baths. It wasn't so much the act itself that bothered her as it was the servant girl Miranda washing her hair twenty times until she thought it was clean. How many times did her head really need to be scrubbed? Wasn't once enough? How dirty could she be? Rayne still did what she was told, she wrapped up in her robe and pulled on her gloves before walking into the washroom where Miranda was waiting.

"Good evening Miss Bastion. Ready for your bath?"

"Yes Ma'am." Rayne sighed as she hung her robe on the back of Miranda's chair and lowered herself into the hot water. Miranda poured water over Rayne's head and began washing, Rayne just sat still, trying to just get this over with. She watched her gloved hands under the water's surface. She hated the gloves but she hated what her mother would do if she took them off in front of the help more. Rayne didn't want to move again. This time the story was that Rayne was burned as a child and her hands were grotesque. That she had to keep the gloves on so as not to disgust anyone. Rayne wasn't allowed to let anyone know the truth, the last time caused to many problems, that's why they had to move.

"You're done dear" Miranda said sweetly. Rayne's scalp was tender from the scrubbing and her wet hair was heavy. Her stomach grumbled from under the water before Rayne's mother walked in the room with a bowl of warm water and a wash rag

"You may leave us Miranda, I'll brush out her hair. You go see how supper is coming."

"Yes ma'am"

"Come now Rayne don't dilly-dally. Just because we're in a new house doesn't mean anything has changed." Rayne wrapped up in her robe and sat on the stool where her mom was standing. "Gloves Rayne." Her mother tapped her foot impatiently. Rayne took off her gloves and handed them to her mother who threw them away, "I don't know how you get so dirty...little girls should not be dirty."

"yes ma'am" Rayne whispered as her mother washed her hands one and then the other before trimming her nails and handing her a new pair of gloves to wear and starting to brush her hair. After a moment the questions started, it was Rayne's least favorite part of any day, the part where her mother tried to connect with her while pretending Rayne was a normal child.

"How did you're first day of school go darling?"

"Like any other, mother."

"Did you make it there ok?"

"yes mother, although I was late. I think I should leave earlier tomorrow."

"If you think that's a good idea dear...You're father sent you something."

"He did?" Rayne asked, fighting to hide her smile.

"yes, it's downstairs. you can open it after dinner."

"Is he coming here?"

"No. not for a few more days dear. You knew it may be like this."

" I know mother."

After Rayne's hair was brushed and she was dressed she went into the kitchen with her mother and they ate a small meal of carbonados Mutton, a broiled lamb in wine sauce. They didn't talk as they ate and Rayne hurried through the meal. When she was done her mother soundlessly passed her a little paper wrapped package. Rayne ran to her room and tore it open, she loved her father's gifts and this one was no different. Inside the wrapping was a new book, no more than 3x5 inches, full of beautifully blank sheets of paper and an unused pencil, it was as though her father somehow knew what had happened on her first day of classes. The cover was leather with a cougar pressed into the front and on the first page her Father had written a note that read:

'My beautiful daughter,  
I hope you are finding yourself well in our new home. I only wish I was there to experience it with you, I know that when I finally do see you I will be greeted with love and your beautiful drawings. Keep your mother out of trouble until I arrive.  
Joining you as soon as the heavens allow,  
Your loving father.'

Rayne read the note over and over in the comfort of her bed, listening to the tree branch scrape her window in the breeze as she drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

1.3

Morning came quickly and Rayne left before her mother was even awake. She took some dried meat from the kitchen and showed herself out. She was just reaching the schoolhouse road when an excited voice called out behind her.

"Hey Rayne! Rayne slow down!"

Rayne stopped and turned to see James and Victor walking toward her.

"Good morning gentlemen." she smiled tearing her meal into thirds and handing each of them a piece.

"Thank you' Jimmy said taking a bite. "right Victor?"

"Yes. Thank you." he mumbled.

"You do not talk much do you Victor."

"No. He really doesn't." Jimmy answered. Victor made a sound that Rayne took it as him agreeing. They walked the rest of the way to the school house in silence and Rayne had the time to really look at Victor for the first time. He was handsome, in a dark sort of way. He had a heart shaped face topped with black shaggy hair that looked light compared to his eyes. His eyes were almost black and filled with an inner pain that Rayne had never seen on someone his age. In that moment she realized that even though she didn't know him, she pitied him. The walked into the classroom together and took their separate seats. The teacher came in a few moments later and knocked on his desk for the classes attention.

"Class. Today we are going to review what you were taught yesterday."The whole class moaned in unison, "But, I have somewhere to be later, so once we're through you're afternoon is free." The class jumped to their feet in a massive wave of excitement before the teacher slammed his desk again. The class settled down and the teacher turned his back to the board. Without a moment's hesitation the class was at attention with the exception of Victor and Rayne. Victor was carving at his nails and Rayne was watching him. She had started to draw him but when she got to his hands she was mesmerized. Why did he pick at them with that knife? She finally tore her gaze away, not wanting to be caught staring, and continued drawing. A few hours later class let out. Rayne packed up her things and started toward the path home.

"What do you want to do now Victor?" Jimmy asked." You don't have to be home until dark and we have ALL afternoon!"Jimmy was practically bouncing as they walked out the door "Come on Victor! It's still pretty warm out, let's go to the ridge and swim, we haven't done that in WEEKS!"

"Ok Jimmy" Victor answered, sending a side glance at Rayne.

"Maybe she'd like to go to?" Jimmy asked when he saw Victor looking.

"She would probably like it." Victor answered, "It is pretty there, she could draw stuff..." Jimmy didn't give Victor a second glance before taking off in Rayne's direction.

"Rayne!" Jimmy yelled and she stopped in her tracks. He ran up to her with Victor close behind. "Rayne you want to go with us?

"Where are you going?" Rayne asked, when to her surprise It was Victor who answered her.

"The ridge. It's a pond at the bottom of a waterfall back in the woods at Jimmy's house."He paused for a moment before adding."...I can walk you home...after. It's not far."

"Okay. if you're sure you don't mind." She smiled.

"No! We don't mind at all!" Jimmy announced and Victor nodded in agreement.

The started walking along a small wooded path behind the school house, Victor and Jimmy playfully nudging each other into the brush on the sides of the path as Rayne followed behind them. She couldn't help but smile, this was the first time she could remember being treated like a normal kid. Pretty soon she could hear the sound of running water and Jimmy was becoming less clothed with each step. By the time she saw the waterfall she didn't have time to be in awe before Jimmy was in his skivvies and the rest of his clothes were in a pile as he jumped into the water. He surfaced with a smile and a glare at Victor who had taken a seat on a flat rock.

"Come on Victor! It's no fun if I'm the only one!" Jimmy said as he slashed water toward the shore. Victor rolled his eyes and got to his feet unbuttoning his vest then laying it flat on the rock he had been sitting on. Rayne had found a place to sit and was making herself comfortable with her paper and pencil when she looked back to Victor. His clothes were laid neatly on the rock as though when he got up they had opted to stay behind. He waded slowly into the water where Jimmy was waiting patiently to resume the splashing. They swam lazily for a while, enjoying the cool water and the free time. Rayne put her notebook away, sitting still out in the open it was getting hot. She thought for a minute about how nice it would be to get in the cool pond and just float there, but she couldn't get her clothes wet! Her mother got mad enough when she was just dirty! She could do like the boys...and that's when she decided she didn't care anymore.

When Victor looked up Rayne wasn't sitting on the bank anymore. He nudged Jimmy to get his attention.

"What is it?" Jimmy asked, straitening himself in the water. Victor nodded to where Rayne had been sitting. "oh...I wonder where she went?" Victor started wading that direction and Jimmy followed. As they got closer they saw her satchel laying on the ground and the corner of her book sticking out of it. Victor knew she wouldn't have just left it behind.

"Rayne!" Victor yelled, hoping for an answer, maybe she saw a butterfly and wanted to follow it, she was a girl after all.

"Rayne!" he heard Jimmy yell from beside him.

"Gee you guys quiet down." Rayne laughed as both boys turned to face her. She was standing in a chemise holding the rest of her clothes with gloved hands in a ball in front of her staring back at them.  
"are you ok?"  
Both of them were staring open mouthed at her like she was a ghost. Victor was the first to come around, his face turned pink as he shut his mouth, nodded and turned to face Jimmy. Rayne laid her clothes with her bag and walked into the water beside them. "Are you sure?"

"Yea we're ok" jimmy finally spoke."We just never had a girl with us before, we never thought in a million years you'd swim."

"Well" she said, up to her neck in water now," It was hot...and I wanted to swim so...here I am." She laid on her back and floated out to the waterfall. Victor looked at Jimmy and spoke.

"I like her." he said noncommittally before swimming out after her.

After their swim the trio laid in the sun to dry, soon the talking slowed and the warm afternoon sun lulled them into a relaxed tranquility. After a long time of comfortable silence Victor was the first to speak.

"it's getting late. We should head home."

"You're probably right." Jimmy said, pushing himself upright.

"Well, "Rayne sighed, "the day couldn't last forever."

They walked to Jimmy's house first, he lived closest. He invited them in but Victor insisted that he couldn't be late home again so he and Rayne continued on. Soon after Jimmy was no longer part of the group the pace slowed, both of them dragging their feet and kicking and pebbles that were in the path. Both wanted to speak but neither knew where to begin. Rayne walked closer to him with every step, her arm brushing his. He wasn't sure if he liked her being to close, she was defiantly in his personal space, but at the same time he felt his heart race every time she touched him. She was close, close enough for him to smell. She smelled like the fresh water of the pond they were walking from. That and lavender.

"Victor..." she whispered as they reached her house. He stopped to look at her but didn't speak. "Victor, I...I don't know what it is about you but...you seem..."

"What? What do I 'seem' to you? Different?" he snapped. His brows furrowed automatically in self defense.

"No!" she interrupted putting her hand on his, "sad. you seem...sad." Victor Just stared back at her, his eyes pulling her in and not letting her look away. After a moment he opened his mouth to answer.

"RAYNE!" her mother yelled from the house," RAYNE ELIZABETH WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN! YOU'RE FILTHY!"

"That's my mother, "she said backing away from him, "Good night Victor." and with that she turned and walked toward her house.

Rayne stormed into the house and past her mother. She could yell all she wanted, it wasn't going to ruin Rayne's day.

* * *

The morning was cool, it was the first day that had hinted that fall was just around the corner since Mrs. Bastion and her daughter moved to town a couple months ago. Rayne stood at the end of her yard wondering why her father hadn't joined them as Victor came walking around the corner.

"hey" she said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, the way it always seemed to do when she saw him.

"hey"

She liked Victor, she wasn't sure what it was about him really, she just felt normal around him. He had a few quirks about him, like he would seem to flinch if you made a sudden movement in his direction and he always picks at his fingernails (they did seem to grow very fast) but usually he was just quiet. Not the quite that you felt the need to fill the gap, more the quiet that you enjoyed. The duo passed Jimmy's house but he didn't run to great them like he usually did. He wouldn't be in school today. He had told his friends the day before how excited he was that his father didn't have to work and how they were going to go fishing. Usually the conversations were dominated by Jimmy and without him the walk to school was quiet, Rayne used the time to think to herself. When they reached to schoolhouse road Rayne didn't turn down it instead she kept walking strait toward the woods as Victor stopped at the fork. Rayne turned to see why he wasn't by her side and found him looking between her and the school road.

"The school is this way." he said, gesturing down the path.

"Really Victor, I thought they moved it. "he gave her a puzzled look and she laughed as she backed away from him," I'm joking...so are you coming or not?"

He gave one more look to the school before jogging to catch up with her.

"What are we doing Ray?"

"Well," she smiled," The way I see it is this, Jimmy is the only one of us that Dearing will notice missing and he knows Jimmy's out with his Father. You and I sit in the back and keep to ourselves, even if he does notice us gone you think he'll give it a second thought?"

"No. He won't. If anything he may be glad I'm not there. I think I worry him." He mumbled the last part, looking down at his shoes as Rayne stifled a giggle.

"Well then today is you're lucky day Mr. Creed," she said in a mock curtsy," today you will not be in the company of anyone that you worry. There's only one stipulation."

"What's that?"

She leaned in real close to his face and his eyes got wide before she whispered, "you have to keep up" and with that she tore off into the tree line. Victor took only a moment to be shocked before going after her, she was fast. He wasn't sure he would have been able to keep up with her if she had been wearing something less cumbersome than her dress. Her dress kept hanging on twigs and branches slowing her down and letting him catch up. Every time he got too close she'd veer of sharply in another direction. she would twist through the tress so easily it was almost like they moved for her. When she finally stopped they were in a partial clearing. there was the tree line behind them and a deadfall to their left. the field in front of them seemed to go off in all directions before turning back into forest. Rayne took a seat on the ground, leaning against a felled tree. Her cheeks were flushed pink from running and her eyes were bright. Victor took a seat beside her and they enjoyed each other's silence for a while before she pulled out some scraps of food for them to share. She had noticed over the last month or so that Victor never turned down food, at first she thought it was just him being a boy but Jimmy had let it slip one day that he didn't think Victor was fed at home. A crumb from a hunk of bread fell onto Victor's shirt and he flinched when Rayne went to brush it away. When he did his shirt moved just enough that she noticed a large bruise on his collarbone.

"what happened?" she asked innocently, gesturing to his injured side.

"what-oh nothing. I just...just got hurt is all" he answered, staring down at his hand as though he was embarrassed.

"Can I see? ...I mean, you don't have to...I just...it looks bad." she wasn't sure why she had asked, maybe it was just her curiosity, maybe it was her intuition telling her he didn't just hurt himself, but to her surprise he answered her.

"if you want...I can show you...it's really alright though." he unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his narrow shoulders. The bruise on his collar bone was only a prelude to what she was seeing. purple bruising blanketed his entire left side. His ribs looked sore and it hurt Rayne just to watch him breathing. the top of his arm was nearly black in a distinguishably hand shaped mark, as though he'd been held by one hand while the other beat him. Rayne reached out and slid her glove covered fingers across the bruise on his arm lightly. Victor started to pull away but stopped and let it happen, her fingers felt cool on the bruise, even through her light gloves. He looked at her face, she looked sad, confused, angry, concerned, all in one face. he wasn't sure how that was possible but he saw it all there.

"Ray..." he started to say her name but she looked into his eyes as she cut him off.

"Does he do this to you? your father I mean?" he kept his eyes locked on hers for a moment but looked away when he spoke.

"yea, but I deserve it mostly."

"No you don't, no one deserves this."

He kept looking way from her as he slid hit shirt back on, every time Rayne started to speak she could tell he wasn't ready for her to. Instead she opened her bag and pulled out her drawing book. she hadn't started the new book yet, having friends for once she had spent more time with them than alone drawing. She opened the book, past the page full of her father's writing and she drew Victor. He was facing partly away from her so all she could see was the side of his face, he looked so sad, hurt in a way she didn't know how to fix. Every time he moved, she'd start a new page. A new picture. Finally he got up, sat beside her and spoke.

"I could never do that." he said, looking down at himself on the paper.

"What, draw? Anyone can draw." she smiled.

"I can't."

"yes you can...", she broke a twig from the tree behind her and swept the patch of dirt between the smooth, "just follow me."

She drew a circle in the dirt, Victor drew his own with his finger. Rayne noticed his fingernails weren't picked to the quick like they usually were and watched him mimic her circle with a long talon-like claw. She didn't let it distract her, she kept drawing. In the circle Rayne drew a smaller half circle and two lines, making a simple smiling face in the dirt. Victor followed, concentrating hard to match Rayne's. Once he was done he leaned back to compare the two.

" See, you're a natural." she smiled.

* * * * *

1.4

It was already dark when Victor walked into the front yard, he could see his father's silhouette framed in the doorway. The day had gone by far too fast with Rayne, without Jimmy there to worry about being home for dinner on time neither of them had thought to head home until dusk had fallen upon them. His father didn't speak as Victor approached him. he just stood in the doorway, staring.

"I'm sorry I'm late father, I..."

"I don't want to hear it you ungrateful whelp. you know where you belong."

"Yes father." the boy bowed his head and walked into the cellar and sat on his cot. His father watched him from the stairs as he fastened the chain to his ankle and laid back against the cold wall. His father left, shutting him in the dark as he did so. Victor took a deep breath, he may as well enjoy the last minutes of consciousness while he could. He closed his eyes and began to replay the images of the day when he heard a tapping. It was a sound he hadn't heard in the cellar before. He turned to see where it was coming from, when he looked out the small cellar window he saw Rayne, laying flat on the ground outside, looking back at him. He kneeled on the cot and pried open the window.

"You shouldn't be here Rayne. Go." she hissed.

"No, I will not." She pushed his arm away and held the window open herself as she slid through, " I brought you dinner."

"Ray, that's wonderful but you cannot be here. he'll kill you!"

"You're father is upstairs drinking like a fish, he's so slobbering drunk he's still trying to figure out how to use a fork to eat the 1st course."

"Great, so he's drunk enough to not even question the decision to kill you when he find's you down here."

"It will be ok Victor, I promise. Here" she hands him a piece of bread and meat and he scarf's it down, all the while looking at the floorboards above him, waiting for the creak to let him know it's time for Rayne to leave. She lay's her gloved hand on his arm and he looks at her, relaxing just a little as he finishes the meal she brought him. As he eats she looks around and notices the chain on his leg. She looks back up to see him staring back at her.

"You know," she starts, "I read somewhere that people, some people, when bad things are happening to them...like torture and stuff...they think about other things...happy things, and you know, send their minds someplace not so bad...maybe...maybe you could do that." she finished nervously.

"Hmm...maybe." he thought, eyes flicking up again to the cellar door.

"I just mean...maybe it wouldn't seem so horrible then...I..."

"I know. I understand what you mean anyway. it would be a good idea I guess...if I had anywhere to send my mind that was good enough to distract from what was happening. Most of the time I just...pick something to look at...the wall, the moon, anything. and concentrate on that until it's over...or I black out...but you're way seems...better." he said, timidly. Rayne didn't know what to say, she was about to open her mouth when he spoke again."I...I don't have a happy memory to think about...none seem good enough."

"None at all?" she asked.

"No...I don't think so." He speaks softly, Rayne looks in his eyes as he looks back at her, she believes him. His eyes are so sad all the time, she's not sure there is any happiness in him. She leans into him, pressing her lips to his for a moment before pulling away slowly. She exhales and opens her eyes, Victor's are still closed, she whispers to him.

"Now you do."

Victor started to lean to her again when a chair scrapped across the floor above them. They both jumped to their feet, Rayne stood in front of Victor, between him and the door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Go. Run. Get out of here right now. He WILL kill you." He spoke through gritted teeth, trying to push her through the window.

"No, I'm not leaving. He can't do this to you Victor!" by now He had pushed her more than halfway out the window.

"He can, and he does, " he said, pushing her the rest of the way out. " and it will be worse if he finds you. Please Rayne, don't make me watch him kill you on top of everything else. Please go. Run." the cellar door slammed open, "RUN."

Rayne ran, she heard Victor's father yell something, it sounded like 'dog'. She didn't run home. She had to know he was ok. She ducked behind a tree and hesitantly looked back at the cellar window.

Victor stood by his bed, waiting for the first blow. It came hard across his face, his head snapping to the side on impact. When his head turned he looked sideways out the window to make sure Rayne had gotten away. Instead he saw her face, peeking out from behind a tree, but she wasn't looking at him. There was no sadness or pity in her stormy blue eyes. The only thing in them was hate, and she was staring at his father. Victor turned back and waited for the next strike, he was still thinking of her, standing there, watching with all the anger in her eyes. He started to resent that she hadn't run like he'd told her to but he realized that if the tables were turned he would be doing the same. He would have jumped between her and the opening cellar door, he would have wanted to stay, to protect her, and when he couldn't he would have hidden and watched to make sure she was alright and learn the face of the one who hurt her. the second and third blows were to his ribs, Victor fell back onto the cot. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to be too much, for the release of unconsciousness, and while he waited he remembered. he remembered the way Rayne smelled of lavender and earth, the way her lips pressed into his, soft and gentle. the way her cheeks were pink, like she's been running, when he looked at her after the kiss. The way she fought to stay, the way she wished she could protect him.

* * *

The leaves had fallen and the trees were bare, the nights grew long and the days cold. Rayne walked into her home after a long walk from school. When she walked in the foyer she saw her mother in the living room, sitting in front of a lit fire reading a letter. She barely looked up when she heard her daughter walk in the room.

"Mother?" Rayne asked. As she got close she could see that her mother's cheeks were wet and her eyes were puffy.

"I don't know what I'm going to do..." her mother mumbled, "can't handle this myself," she looked up at Rayne, from her questioning face to her constantly gloved hands and a new wave of tears filled her eyes. "I can't do this. It's too much."

"What happened?" Rayne practically yelled. Her mother glared in response to her raised voice and shoved the paper into her hand. Rayne read it, then read it again, and again. She couldn't believe it. The question of why her father hadn't joined them yet was finally answered. She knew he had stayed behind to make arrangements, but she didn't know that the arrangements had been so, final. Here is was, on paper. Her father had made his arrangements, the money and belongings were all her mother's now because her father was dead.

The next morning Rayne dressed and readied herself for school. She'd managed to stay numb to the news of her father through the night, just concentrating on the day ahead of her, going to class, seeing her friends. When she saw the cold autumn storm outside she knew she had nothing else to do today but sit inside with herself and think. She slumped into the corner with her school bag and felt tears welling in her eyes. She should have gotten up and walked to her room, should have done something. Instead she broke down in the front of the foyer thinking of everything that could have been done differently to stop this from happening. If she and her mother wouldn't have left him behind he'd be alive, If she hadn't gotten into a fight with those boys; showing them how much stronger she was, how fierce, how...wild they wouldn't have had to move, if she would have been normal she wouldn't have to worry about the gloves, If she wouldn't have been born her father would still be alive. If she wasn't a freak, her father would be alive. Rayne thought all these things, and knew her mother thought them too. Meals came and went, the servants bustled about, all of them ignoring Rayne crumpled and crying on the floor.

Victor and Jimmy fought through the storm and made it to class, Mr. Dearing never made it but neither did most of their class mates. Jimmy spent the day running around the classroom, shaking his head of wet hair everywhere, not liking being cooped up but enjoying having the schoolhouse empty. Victor sat in his chair, laughing at Jimmy's antics every now and then but mostly looking at Rayne's empty chair. He didn't expect the storm to keep her away. He knew he wouldn't have time to stop in to see her on his way home. The storm would make it dark all day and dark was dark to his father. The duo finally headed home that evening, deciding to stay in tomorrow, Victor saying he'd come to Jimmy's house so they could entertain each other. With a soggy grin Jimmy ran into his house and Victor trudged home. He took the path behind Rayne's house, there was light in a couple windows and he wanted to stop and see where she had been but the rain pounded harder and the thunder roared louder telling him it was time to be home.  
The stormy day stretched into a stormy week, none if the children tried to make it to class the second day, or the third. The clouds darkened the sky and the rain seemed endless, the lightning came in bursts so fast you couldn't keep track of them. Even the thunder seemed perpetual, only fading in and out, never actually stopping.

***  
To Victor the days are dark and loud, the rain against his window making it hard to hear his father's footsteps above him. He stays on his cot, not wanting to be found up and around the cellar. A scrap of food is left for him some mornings but it's not much, and those were only after truly horrific nights. Days went by before the thunder lessened, by this time Victor's father was frustrated, not being able to work in the current weather conditions, which made Victor his outlet. By the time the storms faded enough to warrant going back to classes Victor was too sore to move, he'd have to hope his father could go back to work so he could take time to recover.

***

Rayne slumped to the school house in the sprinkling rain. Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance but it was too far to worry about. She took her seat in the back of the classroom, Jimmy is sitting in the front and gives her a little wave when he sees her. She gives him a half smile back and wonders how many people know about her father. Mr. Dearing arrives and starts teaching, Victor's chair stayed empty and the day seems a little more grey to Rayne. On the way home Jimmy tells Rayne that he's sorry to hear about her father, confirming her suspicion that the news had gotten around, he also mentions that he and Victor had plans for the rainy days but Victor had never showed. They say their goodbyes and Rayne walks into her house. No one tells her that she's getting the floors wet, no one tells her to change before she catches cold, no one tells her she's filthy. Her mother was treating her like she didn't exist, something Rayne had always hoped would happen but since it had she wasn't sure what to do with herself.

After dark Rayne opened her window and climbed onto the tree branch outside, it was still raining but it's only a drizzle no longer a downpour. She carefully dropped from the branch to the ground, tying her hair in her ribbon to keep it from clinging to her face before heading through the woods toward the Creed house. As she got closer she saw the shape of the house looming in the distance, there was no light coming from the house so crossing the lawn didn't take long. She laid on her stomach and pulled herself to the small cellar window.

Victor can hear tapping in the darkness, tapping on glass that sounds different than the soft raindrops he's heard for days. He moves to open his eyes and look around but only one cooperates. He sat up slowly, the broken ribs in his side protesting as he turns his swollen eye to the room so his clear one can see the window. He knew the swelling would be gone in a few hours, the ribs would be back to normal in a day or so, they'd been broken more than once but they still hurt. His eye finally focused on the source of the tapping, Rayne was at the window, bits of hair plastered to her face as she smiled down at him. he smiled back as much as his swollen face would allow leaning forward to open the window. The closer he got to her the more she could see of his face.

"Victor, what happened?" she gasped.

"Not being able to leave the house, my dad he, he just gets frustrated when he can't work. it was a long week." he whispered. She reached through the window and touched his face, he didn't flinch like she expected him to. He closed his eyes and she whispered back to him;

"I'm going to get you away from here."

Victor started to laugh and it turned into coughing. "There is no away from here, at least not for me."

"Yes there is. I promise you'll see." Footsteps clattered above them and light poured through the floorboards.

"Get out of here." he said, pulling the window closed.

"I'm coming back" she said as she backed away, she turned to run home and looked back for a second, whispering to him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her that she would save him.

Victor's father opened the cellar door and threw down some stale bread, Victor sighed in relief when he didn't come down those stairs but he couldn't help but remember what Rayne had said, he wasn't sure if she knew he could hear her, but he wondered if she meant it. He wondered if she really thought he was worth saving.

***

The next morning the grey sky parted enough for sunlight to pour through Victor's window. He got out of bed and dressed as fast as he could with his body screaming in protest so he could get out the door. he could see out of both eyes again, there was barely any bruising on his face but his torso still screamed if he pushed too far too fast.

Rayne stood in front of her house, the morning still cool and damp, wanting to get the day over with so she can sneak back to Victor's and make sure he's ok. She thinks about doing it right then, just skipping school and going but before she can decide it's what she's doing she sees him rounding the corner walking toward her. He's walking strangely, like it hurts him to, but when he sees Rayne waiting for him he straitens up and walks to her.

"Hi." she whispers.

"Hi." he said back. Neither one of them knew what to say, the sun and the sounds of the morning made the previous night seem like it was a world away. Instead they start walking to the school house, their hands brushing against each other until they get to Jimmy. As soon as Jimmy slides on the wet grass around the side of his house the two step a little apart and greet him. Jimmy is practically bouncing in front of them, the weather giving him more pent up energy than he knows what to do with. He talked and bounced the whole way to school, about anything and everything; the sun shining, the animals scurrying, school being fun. Victor and Rayne traded glances, understanding that he was talking to fill the void they left by not doing so. They were all okay with that.  
The school day went about the same as their morning did, Rayne and Victor sneaking glances at each other, neither really paying attention to anything. Jimmy took off after class, saying something about his father and being home early, so Rayne and Victor mumbled goodbyes and kept walking. Rayne let her hand brush Victors again, this time after a minute she took his hand and intertwined her fingers with his, the silk of her gloves felt slick and cool between his fingers. He looked up at her and she smiled at him, he smiled back. when they got to her house she didn't let go, instead she spoke.

"Victor. what would happen if you didn't go home?" she wondered, the smile left his face and he thought a moment.

"He would come after me, he would find me and it would be worse that anything he's done before. And nothing would stop him."

"We could leave."

"No you can't Rayne, I can't let you leave your life because you think it will save mine. I've been living this one for so long, it's just how it is. I will be fine, I promise."

"I meant it you know. I'm going to help you get away from him."

"I know you meant it. I know. But I can't let you trade your life for mine...I have to go, I'll be..."

" Late, I know." She leaned onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. I'll see you tonight.

"No, you can't come every night, you're going to get hurt."

"Victor I can out run your father, and I can take care of myself."

"Please Rayne, just don't come tonight."

"We'll see."

"Rayne..." he huffs and she smiles at him, pulling her gloved hand away from his.

"We'll see."

***

1.5

Rayne laid in her bed listening to the sounds of her house. The wind scraped the branch outside her window against the pane, her mother's footsteps made their way down the hall. Rayne got out of bed, still dressed, and went to her window. She didn't promise not to go to Victor. She opened the latch and leaned out to see Victor in her tree.

"What are you doing here?"

"I knew you weren't going to listen to me, so I picked the lock and came to you."

"You're going to get in trouble! What if your father finds you gone!"

"Then I will still get a beating tomorrow."

"That's not funny Victor."

"No, it's not. but it is true."

"Well, at least come inside instead of sitting in the tree all night."

He crawled through her window, his fingernail caught on her curtain tearing it a little as he came inside.

"Sorry. I uh...I um..."

"Victor, it's ok."

She tried to take his hand but he pulled away.

"I...I should go."

"No, don't it's ok really."

"No it's not." He said, his face turning red. Why couldn't he just be normal, he chastised himself.

She grabbed his arm and turned him to look at her. He looked back at her, his eyes sad and scared, not what she expected.

"It is really, really ok Victor," She took his hand and looked at them a minute before speaking again."..I need to show you something."

She let go of his hands and he pulled them behind his back, ashamed that she'd seen them, mad at himself for not keeping them cut back like he usually did. When he looked back at her she was pulling at the fingertip of her glove. it was strange to him, seeing her take off her glove was like seeing any other person take off a layer of skin. it shouldn't have been so odd, they were just gloves, but he'd never seen her without them. She walked to him and handed over her gloves, when she did he saw her hands for the first time. They were pale, smooth, petite and over all what you would expect from a young girl with one exception, at the end of each slender finger was a lethal, cat-like claw that seemed to flex and retract when she moved her fingers. He set her gloves on the end of her bed and laid his hand on hers. They were like his. He'd never seen anyone like him before.

"My mom makes me wear the gloves so no one's know. she thinks telling other adults I have horrible burns or something makes it better, makes them feel sorry for me...we had to move here because of me, some boys tried to corner me between some building in the town where we lived...like I said before I can take care of myself, I'm stronger than I look...anyway they cornered me, one pushed me down and I knew I was outnumbered so I fought them, they got all scratched up...really badly hurt...they went and told their parents that I was a monster and I attacked them...that I was evil and had a demon in me or something. The church came to talk to my parents, they even tried to convince my parents I should be publicly executed but my father fought it. he got all the money he had and sent me and my mother...saying he'd follow us out later...but...he um...he stayed behind to long and the town blamed him...the parents of the boys blamed him when one of the boys...one of them died...so they blamed my father for me getting away...the boy who died...his father came and...and shot mine. Because of me..."

"At least your father loved you enough to die for you...my father doesn't love me enough to try not to kill me."

"Hm." she said noncommittally," my mother blames me for all of it. She hasn't looked at me since it happened."

"My father blames me...for my mother. She died when I was born. So it was my fault."

"Adults make no sense."

"You have no idea."

They stayed up that night, swapping stories about what being different had meant, what it had made them. When dawn broke Victor snuck down the tree and back to his lonely cot. The fall passed quickly, their nights were spend together turning the days into a blur. They two grew close and Jimmy saw it. They never tried to hide it from him but they were never open about what was going on between them. Victor knew it wasn't his place to let Jimmy know Rayne's secret and telling him more about their time together would include telling him that. The nights grew colder and the tree's were bare when Jimmy got a fever. Victor stopped coming to see Rayne. He told her not to visit Jimmy, that he didn't want her to get sick too, but he was there every night. Victor wanted to see her but when he told his father that Jimmy was ill he made Victor stay and keep an eye on him. He didn't know why, Jimmy had been sick many times before but this time was different. He just kept asking about Jimmy, about how bad Jimmy was and what was going on.

One night Victor was sitting by the fire, talking to Jimmy, asking why he was not better yet and complaining that he was always sick. Jimmy was reminding Victor that he used to get sick too when Mr. Howlett came in the room, Victor stood up;

"Evening sir."

"Evening Victor, I didn't realize you were still here."

"I was just keeping James company sir, if that's alright?" he asked.

"Very kind of you." He said, half looking back at Victor, not sounding too sincere before turning back to Jimmy.

"Feeling better son?" he asked, brushing the sweat plastered bangs from Jimmy's forehead.

"Still cold father." He answered weakly. Victor hated that he sounded weak, he couldn't afford him to be weak. He had heard his father drunkenly talking to himself the night before. He knew why he was so concerned with James and he didn't like it.

"Just a mild fever, you'll be alright in the morning." James's father said gently, coddling him. that's why he acted weak. If he knew the truth it would be different...soon it will be different, Victor thought, and when he knows we'll both have to get out of here.

"You always say that" Jimmy smiled, Victor hated that he'd been lucky enough to be raised like this. That Victor had the raw deal...but soon they'd be equals and they would have to help each other...Victor would have to help him, teach him to be tough.

"And you always pull through, don't you? Now, have you taken your medicine?" he asked. Before Jimmy could answer There was a loud banging at the door. It was Victor's father and he was yelling for Elizabeth. Jimmy's father turned halfway to address Victor.

"Your father is drunk again. You should help him home Victor."

Victor knew, and Victor knew better than to get in his way.

"It's not my name he's calling. sir." He answered.

Mr. Howlett got up from the bed to take care of the problem at his door, the problem yelling for his wife. Jimmy tried to stop him, calling for him in a voice that pleaded for him to stay. He was told to stay where he was. Victor followed Him out of the room, closing the door behind him hoping that Jimmy would be smart enough to run. Victor passed his father, unnoticed in the foyer. His father had his rifle and was yelling at Jimmy's mother, a woman who had always been hesitantly kind to Victor. Jimmy's father was yelling, saying he told him never to come back here again. Victor was almost to the end of the yard when he heard the gun go off. He stopped and looked back into the house to see James's father on the ground, His mother screamed and Jimmy came bolting down the stairs. Victor cursed under his breath, the stupid runt was going to get himself killed. He should run while he has the chance. Instead he went to his father to watch him die. Victor heard his father say something that caught Jimmy's attention. Probably part of the speech Victor had heard him drunkenly practicing the night before but something happened that Victor never would have predicted; Jimmy balled his fists in anger and three long, boney spears grew out of his hand, Jimmy screamed and ran at Victor's father, he tried to shoot at Jimmy but his mother pushed the gun aside. Victor stayed in the shadows, leaning in the doorway to get a better look at the 12 inches of bone that Jimmy now had growing from him and now had impaled into his father. James was shaking and his mother was staring. Victor heard the man who'd beaten him all his life mutter his final words to Jimmy. "He wasn't your father. Son." And there it was. The truth that had been hidden from them for so long. They were brothers, half brothers, but brothers. James looked to his mother for a denial but all she said to him was 'what are you?' and with that Jimmy took off into the forest and Victor went after him. When he caught up to him at the edge of the woods the only thing Jimmy could say was that he didn't mean it.

"Yes you did, and he deserved it" Victor said, "don't you get it? We're brothers Jimmy. you realize that? Brothers protect each other. You have to be hard now, hard so nothing can ever touch us."

"I want to go home." Jimmy said.

"We can't. We stick together no matter what and take care of anyone who gets in our way. Can you do that little brother?" Victor asked. Dogs barked somewhere in the distance and lanterns dotted the yard. "Can you run?" Jimmy nodded."Ok, keep on running, don't look back."

***  
One of the workers told Rayne what had happened. That there was a manhunt for her two best friends for the murder of their families. She didn't believe it but she couldn't afford not to, fighting in their defense wouldn't help them. Explaining that Victor's father deserved death was only going to give the authorities more reason to think it was Victor. She didn't expect to see either of them ever again and confined herself to her room. After six cold months winter had almost melted into spring and there wasn't any sign of either boy. Everyone speculated that they froze or starved over the winter, Rayne just thought that Victor finally found a way to escape this place. She sat at her vanity and took off her gloves, pulling the red ribbon out of her hair and wrapping it around her palm before she starts brushing her hair. Rayne sits, brushing until her hair lays smooth, she hears a tap on the window and starts to turn but she tells herself it's the tree. A moment later she hears the squeaking of the window pushing open. Rayne closes her eyes, it's just the wind. She takes a deep breath and she can smell Victor. She tells herself it's her imagination. A cool hand closes around hers, a broad chest leans against her back and a faintly recognizable voice whispers to her.

"No matter how tightly you close your eyes, you cannot wish me away that easily." The voice is a bit lower than she remembers, but familiar as it brushes warmly against her ear. she opens her eyes and looks at Victor. His hair is longer, his face rougher. He'd grown taller, but then so had she.

"I thought I'd never see you again." she whispered, afraid if she spoke to loud she would wake up and he'd disappear.

"We didn't go far. Not much traveling in the winter."

"But you're ok? You and Jimmy, you're ok?"

"Yes...We miss you. but we are ok."

"We?"

"Yes, Jimmy misses you something awful. He's very torn up about it."

"Hm. well you'll have to tell him that I miss him too."

"I will." he laughed, when he did Rayne heard a sound in the hall. The sound of someone knowing she wasn't in the room alone.

"You have to get out of here, you can't come back. You'll get caught. They'll know you're here."

"I'm going to come back for you Rayne."

"No. You're not. I'm not letting you trade your life for mine" She said, echoing the words he'd told her not too long ago,"...Now go."

He put a strong hand behind her head and pulls her to him an a rough, intense kiss as though he's trying to imprint the feeling in his brain in case he never gets it again. He backs away from her, leaving her breathless as he crawls out her window and slinks back into the forest. Rayne latches her window and goes back to the vanity to tie up her hair. When she reaches down she finds the ribbon gone and she smiles because she knows exactly where it is.

***

The next morning Rayne wakes to her mother shouting for her. She takes the stairs by two, thinking someone is dying for her mother to be saying her name. When she reached the bottom step her mother doesn't look up, instead she keeps her eyes on the paper she is reading and mumbles harshly at her daughter.

"Go pack your things, I'm sending you to live with your Aunt and cousin. I can't handle you anymore."

Rayne stood with her mouth open. She had been begging to live with her cousin since she had first met the girl. they were the same age and had the same rambunctious spirit but Rayne's mother had never thought them proper enough to associate with and pretended to not be related to them. Now that Rayne was getting her dream come true she didn't want it. How would Victor know where to find her? What would happen if he came back to the house and she wasn't there? She couldn't leave now, but she had no choice.

She packed her things slowly, wanting to draw out leaving as long as possible incase Victor returned. Her mother was having nothing of it. The hired girl, Miranda came to speed up the process. Looking back those days were a blur or packing and panic. The day came to leave and Miranda took her by coach to the train station, Rayne's mother didn't even wake up to say good bye to her only daughter as she walked out the front door. Taking a seat on the train the only thing running through her mind was

"I will never see him again."

The ribbon didn't smell of her any longer. Too much time outside had faded away the only physical link he still had to her. It was too risky to go back, he knew that. But he didn't care. The runt kept trying to talk him out of it, but only made a half hearted attempt. He knew it was useless to argue as far as Rayne was involved. He brought the ribbon to his face, mostly out of habit, when he walked into the tree line of the Bastion house. It was dark, he wasn't worried about being seen. What did worry him was that the house was dark too. Not a single light shone out the windows. He made his way up the leaning tree to Rayne's window. Peering through the pane he saw that all the furniture was covered in a layer of dust. He listened for sounds of stirring inside and heard nothing bigger than a field mouse or two. Lifting the latch he slipped in thru the window. The room still smelled of her but only faintly, she hadn't been here for months now. He opened drawers and trunks to see if she'd left anything behind, maybe a clue to where he'd find her. In The drawer of her vanity he found a small leather bound book with a big cat stamped into the front. He recognized it as her drawing book and wondered if she'd left it on purpose. He opened the cover and saw himself, a younger himself. Flipping the pages he practically saw himself age. Every picture seemed to be of him, or him and Jimmy. On the last page she saw her hurried handwriting and read:

'Victor, Don't trade your life for mine. Living your life trying to find me will be wasting it, we will find each other.'


	2. Chapter 2

2.1

Years, far too many to want to count, had passed. Wars come and gone with the decades, Countries had been born and grown. Early on in life Rayne had realized that she had an extraordinary ability to heal but she hadn't known the extent of that until WWII. She'd signed on as a nurse, nowhere near the action she'd wanted to be in on but the military was the easiest life choice of someone that may need to disappear at a moment's notice. If she was discovered for anything other than perfectly normal she could skip town and have it written off as a relocation. Not to mention nurses had a reason to wear gloves, which kept people from asking questions. In May 1941 she relocated to Pearl Harbor, not the worst place to be, she'd admit. Although the climate made wearing gloves out difficult to explain. The job was good, the people were nice. When the attacks started she ran out to help. She was kneeling over a wounded man when a second blast went off behind her. The car that took the majority of the impact exploded into a million projectiles of glass and metal that sunk into her back. She woke up a few hours later, lined up with the others dead from the attack, looking no worse for the wear if you didn't count that the back of her uniform was in tatters. She'd always known she could heal, never having broken anything as a child, barely even bruising, but she didn't know until that day that she was virtually unkillable.

She hopped around the continental U.S. for about a decade during world war II, hating that according to government record nurse 'Liz Bastion' was killed before the war had even begun. In 1955 the Vietnam war was big news and She had grown tired of sitting on the sidelines. She knew that as a woman her helpfulness would be limited but doing nothing would drive her mad. In 1967 she changed her name and became a typist for the war effort. Writing the emotionless letters home about the fallen solders didn't quell her want to be part of the action, but being around the officers and listening when they thought no one else was...It made her feel like she at least knew something more than the civilians of the country were being told. January 1975, she heard her name among the whispers amongst the officers. When she listened closer she realized they weren't talking about her, but of the man that she'd taken her new name from. Creed. He and another man were scheduled to be executed for turning against their fellow troops and officers in the field. She was willing to be money that the other man was Jimmy, although she had a hard time seeing him turning on anyone. She couldn't let herself think she knew either of them anymore. It'd been too long. There was no way to get to them before the execution date, it wasn't possible. All she could do was type at her desk and hope that one of two things happened. They escape, or they die quickly.

The firing squad, well let's just say that was an experience. It wasn't the first time Victor had been shot and he was sure it wouldn't be the last either. It hurt like a son of a bitch but it was almost worth it to see the looks on the faces of the men when he and Jimmy were still standing afterward. They'd been in this cell for almost a week now, Victor making friends with the rats that wandered in, letting them think this was a safe place. Really he just wanted to know they'd be there when he got hungry enough. The voices from outside never seemed to stop, 'freaks, animals, monsters'. He supposed they weren't wrong. The latch on the cell door clicked, Jimmy and Victor looked at each other wondering who it could be when an officer opened the door. Victor looked away, the light hurting his eyes. He waited a second for his pupils to adjust. Jimmy just wondered why this man was in the middle of nowhere, talking to two prisoners in his suit. That's a lot of fancy to put on just to get it dirty. He supposed he was trying to make an impression, Jimmy's impression was that this man was a moron. The moron spoke.

"My name is Major William Stryker. You've been charged with killing a senior officer." Victor was starting to think he was a moron too, why was he telling them what they already knew?"Is that correct?"he asked. It was Victor who answered.

"Apparently we have some issues with authority..."

"just keep a lid on it" Jimmy interrupted.

"...sir" Victor added.

"The warden tells me that your sentence was carried out by a firing squad at 1000 hours. How'd that go?"

"It tickled." Victor answered, one of the rats crawling onto his hand. The major took off his glasses and smiled.

"You boys tired of running? Tired of denying your true nature?"

"What do you care." Victor growled.

"Oh, I care. I care because I Know how special you are, how valuable." He had Victor's attention as knelt to their level," Look, you can stay here locked up like freaks of nature, or you can join me. I'm putting together a special team, with special privileges...Now tell me, how would you like to really serve your country?"

A month or so after the news of the execution there was a new face in the office where she worked. He was an average looking man but he had a spark of viciousness hiding behind his muddy eyes. He was called in because of a complication in the execution of two prisoners. She listened closer. No, they hadn't escaped. They had gone through with the execution and had survived. The new man in the room was going over secrecy and how no one can know about this, he had handled it. She can't help but glance his way when she hears him say that. she wonders what he did to 'handle it' when she notices that he's looking back at her. She looks quickly back at her typing. She makes herself not listen to any more of the conversation but she can feel his eyes on the back of her neck. He knows, somehow he knows that she can hear them. Hours that seem to stretch for days pass before the man comes out of that room. He walks up to her and clears his throat.

"Can I help you with something sir?" Rayne asks, hoping he lets her looking his way earlier slide. write it off as coincidence that she was looking up when he did. Somehow she didn't think he was a 'coincidence' kind of man.

"Yes ma'am, I was wondering if I could talk to you privately."

"Yes sir."

He walked her into the officers room, it was just the two of them in here. She knows that none of the other women could hear anything that was said in this room, not that they were hard of hearing but that was the point of the sound proofing. Rayne just had better ears than most. he motioned for her to take a seat on one of the chairs, she balanced herself on the edge as though she was expecting to need to get up in a hurry.

"My name is Major Stryker. What's yours?"

"Rayne Creed, sir." He gave her an odd glance,'no relation to the man you were discussing I'm sure. Not that I heard your private conversation Major.' she thinks to herself

"Ah, well Ms. Creed. I was just wondering if you'd like the opportunity for...let's say 'career advancement'." He spoke slowly, the words dripping off his tongue like Kerosene off a fresh wick.

"Sir, I'm always looking for a way to move up in life, but only if I get there because I deserve it."

"Oh, no. I'm afraid you misunderstand me. I'm merely proposing you apply to work in a similar position with higher security clearance. Under my supervision of course. I couldn't help but notice you listening in on our private conversation, and before you tell me you weren't I saw the look in your eye. you heard every word. I have great use for people with special talents such as yours." He finished as Rayne cast him a concerning look, "Don't you trust me?"

"Sir, no disrespect but I don't trust anyone." She replied.

"And that, is why you would do wonderfully at the position I'm proposing."

"Tell me more."

The job that Stryker offered her was simple enough. It was a high security clearance job that would involve taking Stryker's dictation on paper, occasionally assisting and documenting medical procedures and potentially some field work. A couple months passed after his initial offer and she wondered if the offer had just come too late. the war had been declared over in April so Rayne didn't know why she would still be needed. She received a call from Stryker with a time and location if she was still interested. She told him she was and once again Rayne packed up her home and left. The location was nondescript, a no where kind of place in a no place kind of town. She wasn't met there by Stryker, instead a very tall man stood there. He was holding so still Rayne would have mistaken him for a small building had he not spoken. his voice was the low slow kind of drawl you'd expect from someone who was fathered by a house. He introduced himself as Fred Dukes. After that he didn't talk much. He drove her somewhere else, there weren't enough landmarks or street signs to know where she was or where she was going but it didn't really bother her. She didn't even mind the lack of conversation from Fred. Stryker greeted them at the door of a warehouse looking building. He thanked Fred and walked her inside, explaining what they would be doing here. He told her that to see if she was the right person for the job her and 3 other candidates will be given information. Each person will be interrogated and whoever keeps the secret qualifies. She wasn't sure what kind of job she was getting into but it certainly seemed more exciting than typing. She wondered briefly if she was being picked to be a spy but laughed off the idea shortly.

Rayne sat in a cold metal chair, Stryker had her handcuffed to it, which he explained made the interrogation more realistic. He sat across the table from her and began to talk.

"I'm going to tell you what it is your interrogator will be trying to learn from you. It is of the utmost importance that you do not tell him this. Your life may depend on it." Rayne wasn't sure if that was so make things more realistic or not." Your interrogator has been instructed not to hold anything back. It is his job to get this information from you. You are not to let him know that you are a mutant."

Her heart skipped a beat. Did he just say what she thought he said?

"I've looked back at your records, you clearly didn't die at pearl harbor. Although having nursing experience will put you ahead of the game should you pass the interrogation. Your senses are impressively heightened, also a plus. Don't worry Ms. Creed, or is it Bastion?, Being a mutant won't keep you from this job, as a matter of fact it's a requirement. We just need to know that you are as concerned with protecting our animosity as we are. " He stood slowly and walked out of the room.

Rayne felt like she hadn't exhaled since he started talking and for all she knew she hadn't. It was stupid to think that no one in the government had discovered mutants before. It was even more stupid to think that no one would ever be able to pick her out as one. She heard footsteps outside the door, the knob turned and a tall shadow filled the room, followed by a slight man in a suit. A voice from outside the door said what sounded like 'no guns zero' before the man turned back to pass something out the doorway. The man, who she assumed was her interrogator was of Asian descent, maybe late twenties or thirties. She was terrible at guessing age. He took off his suit coat and hung it on the back of his chair, revealing his suspenders and empty holsters. he sat down facing her and smiled, his too straight teeth making a chill run up her spine. before she could blink the back of his hand came across her face with a crack. Rayne straightened herself in her seat and looked back at him. This was going to be an interesting job interview. Most of the 'interrogation' was the suited man hitting her, it hurt but she sat stoically waiting for the next blow. HIs questions were randomly shouted between blows, most of the time he only asked 'what are you?' a question she'd heard more than a few times in her life. The first time she'd been asked that question she was corned by a group of boys her own age, 14 at the time. She'd fought back and a boy died, her father had paid the price for the blood on her hands that time. This time she'd take whatever he gave her. She wasn't going to tell him what he must have already known. Stryker knew she had healing abilities, he had to. this was probably more a test of her limits that of her resolve. The man sat in his chair, rubbing the hand that had been making contact with her face. it was red and swollen, Rayne thought that more than a couple bones were probably fractured at least. Her face was healing faster than his hand, the thought made her smile and she felt blood run through her teeth and down her chin when she did. She must look crazy, she thought to herself. The man asked her again, what was she. She was tired of the one sided conversation so she decided to answer.

"I suppose I'm Just a woman who likes it rough. Frankly you're not quite doing it for me. Is that why they call you Zero?"

She smiled at him again, not the nice smile she flashed at people to get them to leave her alone but the twisted bloody smile of a woman who wants a fight and hasn't gotten into one for far too long. The man stood so fast the chair fell over from under him, he kicked out and knocked hers over on its side, the jolt put her arms in an awkward position but at a good angle, as he was kneeling over her she pulled one hand free of the cuffs, she could feel the skin tearing off but it would grow back. The Man propped her chair up a bit and started to undo his pants.

"Fuckin bitch," he said through gritted teeth. "you like it rough, I'll..."

He didn't get to finish his sentence, before he'd even made it to the zipper Rayne had leaned into him and bitten a chunk out of his hip before swinging her chair around and into his head. The chair was closely followed by a petite clawed hand that caught him across his high cheek bone, barely missing his eye. She got to her feet as he laid on the floor, bleeding from several small head wounds. She gave him one good hard kick in the groin before putting her foot on his windpipe and yelling "WHAT ARE YOU!"

Stryker was watching the interrogation, the woman could certainly take a punch, that was for sure. She'd sat quietly for the last hour of so of beating but when she finally spoke he knew it would not end well for someone. Zero hated that no one on the team respected him, their sarcastic banter drove the straight shooter mad and Stryker knew that while he may tolerate that talk from the team he wouldn't take that from a woman. What Stryker didn't know was how fast Zero would be put in his place if he started more than he could finish with the woman in his interrogation room. Stryker ran into the room, her foot was on zero's throat and she was yelling the only question she'd heard for the last hour back at him. Stryker wasn't sure if she'd snapped or if she just wanted to show Zero that she knew that he knew already. That the beating was a test. When she saw him walk in she backed away to let Zero up. She knew the test was over now she just wasn't sure if she'd passed or not.

"Zero get up, you're embarrassing yourself" Stryker barked before turning to her. "I'll take you to you your things so you can get cleaned up. Welcome to the team."

2.2

Rayne had showered, changed and still hadn't figured out what being part of the team meant. Stryker had told her that she wasn't going into the field with them, that she would be staying behind at the base of operations, only interacting with any team members if they needed medical attention. Which Stryker had told her most of them do not, or when she's taking reports about what the missions entail. On this note Stryker had explained that there will be two sets of reports, the ones for his personal use and the ones for the government. The ones for the government will leave out and international incidents that are dealt with in the field unless absolutely unavoidable.

Once she was dressed, she hoped appropriately, she met Stryker in the hall. He had told her that she was going to met the team, she wasn't sure if there were going to be more tests so she opted for boots, simple jeans and a loose top that didn't hinder her movement. All black in case the test went bad and she needed to make a getaway. Once they were in the jeep Stryker told her that the members of the team are all men, so to prepare for some crude humor, especially from the youngest member of the team named Wade. Some were recently recruited so he wasn't sure what to warn her about there but he ensured her that they were all good soldiers.

This building was lighter than the others, it looked more like a hospital than a warehouse. off white walls and an off white floor reflected the too white lights onto the even whiter ceiling, although the ceiling was browning in spots where water was coming into the building. Stryker walked her into a large room, people dotting the area in small groups of two or three. She looked around, the room smelled like dust and water damage, which was trying to be covered with the smell of bleach. Her mind registered something familiar, something good, but she couldn't place it. then she saw him.

In the far corner of the room black eyes watched her, eyes that she'd recognize anywhere, despite being in a face that was much older looking than she remembered. He looked away from her as Stryker addressed the group, telling them to come up and meet Rayne. She wondered if this was a test. After Stryker had called her out on listening to hit officer conversation he'd asked if she knew the man they were talking about. She'd told Stryker that she didn't, was he trying to catch her in a lie or was he honestly seeing if they knew each other? What would Victor think when Stryker introduced her with his last name? So many questions were running through her mind before they were cut short by introductions.

"You've met Fred already" Stryker said, motioning to the mountain of a man to his left," And of course Zero. " He pointed to where the interrogator was sulking on a chair, icing his swollen hand. "This is Bradley"

"how do you do" This man was small, with a mousey face and large doe brown eyes that looked back at her in wonder. She thought that he must have heard what she'd done to Zero to have a face like that while looking at her. The next man in line cut off Stryker before he even began to speak, he was tall, handsome, and young. He introduced himself as Wade, although Rayne could have guessed from Stryker's description of him. Stryker pushed Wade aside to keep the introductions moving along.

"This is Logan, he's one of our newer recruits," Rayne reached out to shake the new man's hand, when she looked to his face to say it was nice to met him she realized that Victor was not the only one from her past in the room. Jimmy, all grown up, was staring her straight in the face. He exchanged good to met yous and moved along, him pretending not to know her made her think more and more that this was a test to see if she'd been lying about Creed. The last man in line was Rayne's height, if you count his cowboy hat. He had a friendly smile and a southern draw to his voice, Rayne thought he was also the only stranger there that sounded like he was genuinely glad to meet her. Rayne barely registered that he's said his name was John before Stryker yelled across the room at the one person who hadn't stepped up to greet her.

"Victor, come up and meet our newest recruit, you're the one I want her to met the most." Rayne thought to herself that either Stryker was playing matchmaker or this was defiantly a test. The man in the corner stood up, Rayne couldn't help but notice that he was a man, much more so than the boy from so long ago. He walked to her in his long black coat and she couldn't help but think that this was just the shadow of a ghost that wasn't really there. He stuck out his hand to shake as Stryker spoke for the both of them.

"Victor, this is Rayne Creed. Same last names, isn't that funny? Stryker said, eyeing the exchange between the two of them, looking for a glimmer of recognition that he didn't get. Rayne hoped Stryker couldn't see the jolt of electricity she felt when she shook his hand. She felt like every hair on her body was standing on end with excitement. She made sure her face showed none of that.

"Really, isn't that a coincidence." Victor spoke. his voice was much deeper than she remembered, it had a gravely undertone that made her spine tingle.

"It really is, seeing as you both have a similar...condition as well." Stryker hinted." Are you sure you aren't related?"

"Oh, I'm positive we aren't related" Creed answered. "Everyone in my family is dead but Jimmy, you know that Major."

"I know that Victor, it was just such a coincidence I thought I'd look into it, the DNA comparison will tell us for sure."

"I promise you Sir, I never knew a Rayne Creed as long as I've lived. It's a damn Shame too." He said that looking her up and down with hungry eyes, he noticed how much the same she looked, her stormy eyes, her autumn hair. She'd grown up too of course, and filled out nicely. She wasn't the slender teen she'd been so long ago. She was very much a woman and had the curves to prove it. While he looked her over she remembered the last time she'd seen him, how rough his hands were, how warm his kiss was, how he'd told her that she would never be able to wish him away. She began to wonder what she could wish for.

Stryker saw the look that Victor gave the girl, but it was nothing new. He was honestly surprised she didn't get more of those looks from the men, she was a very attractive woman.

A few weeks went by, routine training for the men, learning the ropes for Rayne. Then months passed. There wasn't a moment when Stryker wasn't on her tail, she would have given anything to just have a minute alone with Victor. There was so much time that they needed to catch up on. She didn't let it distract her, she tried to not even look his way too often for fear that Stryker would suspect something. One day on their ride from where Rayne was staying in town Stryker started up a conversation that Rayne hadn't expected.

"The DNA Test, it came back. You are not related to Victor. I find It curious that two people with the same last name and the same genetic mutations aren't related." He seemed to be speaking to himself at first, She wasn't sure if she should answer or not until he looked at her expectantly.

"Well sir, you know I changed my name after they pronounced me dead in 41. My last name isn't actually Creed."

"Yes but what made you pick that as a surname?"

"Well sir, my mother took me to church as a child, I'd always heard about the apostle's creed, and I knew that a creed was a statement of your beliefs, or faith. I guess I just always liked the word Sir."

"As good a reason as any I suppose. So what do you think of him?"

"Of who sir?"

"Of Victor, of course."

"Oh..."She thought for a moment, what did he want her to say?" He seems very quiet sir."

"That he is. He doesn't socialize with the rest of the group really, I'm sure if he had the chance he'd kill Wade. He only really sticks by his brother and when they're here it's work all the time. It's healthy for the men to take a break every now and then, you know. let off some steam, not go into the field so high strung."

"What are you suggesting sir?"She asked, wondering if he was meaning to imply what she was inferring.

"Nothing concrete dear, I'm merely suggesting that when the boys go into town tonight you go with them. dress up, look nice. Maybe pay a little attention to Victor. The other men have no problem getting female attention, Victor on the other hand can come off as a little...abrasive."

"And I'm sure most women are thrown off by the nails."She'd noticed that he's stopped cutting them when he shook her hand, he wasn't trying to hide them anymore. She wondered if he noticed that she didn't bother to wear gloves since Stryker had called her out on what she was.

"Yes, his hands do make an impression don't they...So, will you do it?"

"Is it an order sir?"

"No, Rayne, I can't order you to flirt with someone."

"In that case, I'll do it. So long as you know that if I didn't want to I wouldn't be. And I won't do anything I don't want to do."

"Yes Rayne you made that perfectly clear when you took a bite out of Zero in the interrogation room."

Rayne wasn't sure what to think about Stryker's proposal, she would have thought that fraternizing amongst each other would be frowned upon. Especially with only one woman in the group. What was he playing at? She wondered as she got dressed for the night. They were all riding into town together in a hummer where they'd pick up Rayne and continue on a half hour drive to the nearest bar/restaurant. it wasn't any place fancy but Rayne figured this was the only excuse she was going to get to dress up for a while. It was early fall, so still warm enough for her to wear a light weight top, it was red and sleeveless with a scoop neck and low cut back. With that she wore a black mid calf skirt with boots. The skirt had a slit on both sides to above her knee so if there was trouble she could still move, not that she was expecting trouble. To finish off the look she pulled her hair half up, in a bright red ribbon, like she hadn't since she was 16 years old.

The wind had picked up since the sun had gone down, Rayne was grateful that she'd thought to pick up a light jacket as well but the breeze tickling the exposed parts of her leg were chilling her to the bone. Her ride finally arrive and Wade jumped out to open the door for her before the vehicle even fully stopped. He bowed a sarcastic bow as she got into the seat before he climbed back in. All Rayne could think was that she didn't know how she'd get a moment alone with Victor as long as Wade was around. Didn't he know she was much too old for him?

It was crowded in the hummer, the air was stuffy from everyone being in the back together, the ride was a long one. She noticed that Zero wasn't in the hummer, although she didn't remember if he was supposed to be or not. She didn't mind him not being there, he was Stryker's little kiss ass, he'd probably report every word, blink and nod back to Stryker verbatim. Wade talked the entire half hour. When did this kid breathe? They got to the bar, no one else was really there yet but it was still early. They all took seats at the same table, Wade sitting beside Rayne before he could be stopped, She gave Victor a pleading look of apology but she couldn't ask Wade to move. Being too eager to spend time with Victor may look suspicious. Wade talked about everything, anything and nothing all at the same time. Rayne spared a glance at Victor who was carving at the table with his fingernails. John saw her watching and made a quick nodding gesture to get her attention, he motioned for her to go to the bar with him. She excused herself and met him a few feet from the table.

"Hey, sorry Wade's slobbering all on ya like that. When we go back to the table take my seat. I know you'd rather sit with tall, dark and quiet anyhow." He laughed.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, just out of curiosity.

"We all know Major's tryin to play cupid with you two, it's eatin Wade up inside knowin he don't get the girl. Hell even if I didn't know I see the way you lookin at him."Rayne got a panicked look on her face for a millisecond but he caught it."Don't worry, I won't go tellin nobody. I seen it in your face soon as you saw him. you two got a lot to talk about so quit standin like a fool over here with me and get on it. "

She started walked to the table and got to the chair before turning around to whisper 'thank you.'

She took the seat beside Victor, he didn't notice at first, thinking that John had just sat back down. He didn't look up from the table until she took off her coat, the movement seeming an odd thing for John to do. He turned toward her, her back was to him as she hung her coat on the chair rail. He'd noticed when they'd picked her up that her hair was in a ribbon, he'd lost the one he'd taken from her somewhere around the end of the civil war. Her shoulders were bare in the red top she was wearing, there were a pale cream contrast to the dark rose of the shirt. Her back too, smooth and beautiful. He looked back at his hands. When Rayne turned back to the table Wade was pouting about John sitting beside him. He mumbled something about 'if she prefers a man with bag lady fingernails.' Rayne spoke up above the chatter at the table.

"I'm sorry Wade, I didn't catch that last part." she said, acting as though she heard her name and nothing more, knowing full well that she and at least two other people at the table heard every word he'd said.

"I said if you wanna get felt up by bag lady hands over here, have at it."

Rayne reached across the table for her glass that she'd left at her previous seat, making sure to stretch out her nails for him to see as she pulled the drink to her. She turned to face Victor, relieved to finally get a moment to talk to him when she noticed the table. She had thought he'd been absently scratching at it, annoyed by Wade, but now she saw that he'd carved a picture into it, a picture of a smiling face. He saw her looking and leaned over so only she could hear.

"It's the only thing I ever learned to draw."

2.3

One by one the men wandered away from the table, suddenly Rayne, Logan and Victor were alone. Logan leaned over to her and whispered.

"I'm glad to see you again Ray but I think Victor may kill me if I don't give him a minute with you soon."

She couldn't hold back the giggle that bubbled up in her, as grown up as he looked he was still Jimmy when it came to Victor. Once they were alone Victor spoke.

"I meant what I said to Stryker, about it being a shame I never knew a Rayne Creed...I came back for you once, a few years after that last time I saw you. I wanted you to know that Jimmy and I were going to America. I wanted you to come with us, but the house was empty, you were gone. I found this." He pulled a small leather bound book out of his coat pocket, some of the binding was loose and the leather was faded but she could still see shadows of the cougar on the cover. He opened it to the last page, her handwriting scribbled across it. "You told me not to look for you. I didn't know what to think of that."

"I didn't mean that I didn't want you to find me Victor. I only meant that I didn't want you to think that's all you could do with your life."

"But that's all I wanted to do with it...I didn't, because of this" he said holding up the book," but everywhere we went I looked for you. Never thought it'd be here that I found you...Never thought to look for a woman with my name...Why did you do that anyway?"

She smile "I'm not sure really, I guess when it came time to change my name...I missed you. Maybe I was trying to make it easier to find me, guess it sort of worked."

"It's so good to see you Ray." he sighed, it was like he'd been holding that breath since the last time he saw her and he could finally breathe again.

"I just wish we didn't have to pretend we didn't know each other...I just want to..." she trailed off, not wanting to say anything out loud, he kept looking at her, waiting patiently for her to finish."...I just feel like this is all so...I'm so relieved to see you again, I feel like any second now I'm going to wake up or you're going to disappear into a puff a smoke...it's like I can't convince myself your real, that you're really there."

"I'm really here" he said, his hand brushing hers, she wanted him to touch her again. she needed it.

"Do you think that Stryker would find it strange if we went off on our own...got out of this bar, away from everyone for a moment?"

"Honestly he probably expects it..."she looked at him questioningly," After a while I gave up on finding you, Joined in every fight I could get in, from bar fights to world wars...I stopped caring what I did, I let the animal instincts take over, the only three things I cared about were the base necessities, If jimmy hadn't been around to stop me every now and then I'm sure I'd have done much worse than I know I did but you should know I haven't been a saint all this time. The last time the animal took over it got me here."

"What got you and Jimmy scheduled for execution?"

"Yea, I...There was a woman, I tried to...rape her. and when the other soldiers tried to stop me I just started killing them all..."he got quiet and looked away from her, he wasn't ashamed of his actions, the animal took over sometimes, it happened. He was ashamed to have to tell Rayne.

" When my mother sent...when I went away. it was a much less civilized way of life, I didn't have my mother correcting my every moment of the day. I did what I felt like doing. I let the instincts take over Feeding, fighting and...I don't have to tell you. Being a woman it's a lot more frowned upon to act that way. I got really good at holding it all in, every now and then I'd snap...start a fight, do...some things I'm not proud of, and have to leave town. I moved around a lot...There's nothing that you can tell me you did that I haven't done or thought about doing. It's what we are Victor, we can't help that the animal inside gets the best of us sometime. That's a fact I came to terms with a long time ago."

"It makes me wonder what Stryker expects out of this. Something tells me he doesn't expect this to be anything more than two animals acting on instinct...He told us what you did to Zero, "a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth," I've been wanting to kill him since I got here. I'm glad someone got a good shot in."

"Maybe that's what he wants...to see how we'll handle the situation, to see which side wins out. To be honest, at the moment the animal really wants to be winning."

He laughed, the first time he'd done that in a long time," the way I see it we have two options. One, we act like civilized adults, we take things slow and catch up on the past. Or two, "he leaned in closer, she could feel his breath on her cheek," we can leave this place right now and let instinct decide."

A chill of pleasure ran up her spine, every fiber of her being wanted option two, she didn't care what was the right choice here, that's what she wanted, that's what she needed. She needed him to be touching her, to be holding her, to be kissing her, to be fucking her. She wanted to feel his strong warm body against her, talking to her in that low gravelly voice that she could only imagine would sound even sexier through ragged panting breaths. She was sure by now he could smell the pheromones coming off her in waves, hell she could smell herself. She had been looking him over while she thought over her options but she hadn't looked at his face again until now. His eyes were closed and he was leaning his head back, breathing in the scent of her. The smell of lavender touched by a sweet layer of arousal. The way his neck arched upward she wanted nothing more than to run her tongue across it. His body felt tight all over, he wanted to get out of here, to get her out of here. He was about to say so when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Hey man," Victor opened his eyes when he heard Wade's voice," look. I'm sorry I called you a bag lady...but really, who wants those hands all over them, really." Rayne couldn't tell if Wade was drunk or stupid, he wasn't slurring his words or off balance so Rayne guessed it was a combination of the latter mixed with the want to pick a fight. Rayne didn't really care, all she knew was if he was looking for a fight he'd get one. And she wouldn't be left out. Her conversation with Victor had her wound up inside and if she wasn't going to get to work off that energy in bed, she was going to punch it out of Wade's face. Victor stood, towering over Wade. He should have taken a step back but his powers of preservation were apparently lacking. Logan stepped between them.

"Victor, we don't want to draw attention. Wade, back off." he growled.

Victor took a step back and put his hand on Rayne's shoulder, "Let's go, I'm tired of listening to his mouth." Rayne couldn't disagree. They walked to the door, and almost made it out before Wade decided he wasn't letting them off so easily.

"That's right!," he yelled across the bar, "Leave, take her. She's no better than a dog anyway. Fuckin animals..."

Before anyone could stop her Rayne leapt across the room, landing feet first on wade's chest, pushing him backwards over a table as she swiped a clawed hand across his face. She stayed crouched there on his chest, top lip brought up into a snarl. He hadn't expected her to be the one to pounce.

"If you're going to call me an animal, get it right," She hissed, extending her claws and holding them out for him to see, "I'm a cat person."

Zero walked into the Bar when he heard Wade yell an insult followed by a loud crash. He was Sure Victor was tearing him a new ass. "Alright break it up, shows over. Back to the Vehicle." Rayne looked up, it seemed that Zero was here after all, just not for a relaxing night off. He was the chaperone. Great. He eyed Rayne as she helped Wade off the ground.

"you know Zero, I think you should thank me. I really added some character to your face." His expression began to color with anger, making the healing pink scratches on his face less noticeable."You and Wade will have something to talk about now, you've both been beaten by a girl." She laughed.

"You didn't beat me," Wade said dusting himself off, " You just caught me off guard is all, if this had been a fair fight I would have..."

"shut up Wade" Zero, Victor and Rayne all said at once. At least they all agreed on that, she thought to herself. They all piled back into their ride and took off. The trip was unexpectedly quiet. they dropped Rayne off first. She walked up the steps to her small apartment, it wasn't much, just a bedroom and a bathroom with a kitchenette. It worked. When she came in the door there was something new in her apartment, Major Stryker.

"Good evening Ms. Bastion." he'd started calling her by her real last name after the DNA tests had come back. He said it was to avoid confusion."How was our outing this evening?"

"fine." she answered, laying her jacket across the edge of her bed.

"Zero told me about the...incident."

"Which one sir, the one where Wade tried to pick a fight or the one where Wade wouldn't let me walk away from one." She quipped.

"Both, and the one where you got the best of one of my better soldiers."

"Sorry sir, his mouth irks me."

Stryker laughed, "Yes well. It happens to the best of us. My intentions here were not to reprimand you my dear, I had wanted to be here regardless of incident. I wanted to know how things went with Victor."

"They went..." She wasn't sure what to say, did he want her to tell him that when he spoke she got knots in her stomach and the barely controllable urge to jump him right there in the bar? Did she lie and say that they didn't get anywhere?" it was nice. Nice to have someone to talk to that's had...similar life experiences to mine. Similar challenges."

"So it went well then? You'd like to continue this?"

once again Rayne wasn't sure what the Major was asking.

"Sir, I hate to ask this out of turn but...where do you want this to go? Where do you want it to stop? How much is too much and what's not enough?"

"I'm afraid I don't get your meaning." He spoke as though he did and just wanted her to needlessly elaborate.

"Sir, I'll be honest. I do enjoy talking to Victor, and he is an attractive man. But I don't want to continue this if it's a game to you. If you just want me to give him a buddy to talk to but don't want it to go any further than that. I don't want you to want it to go any further than a friendship and it not go there. I need to know, professionally, what boundaries your setting for us up front, sir."

"take it wherever it needs to go Ms. Bastion, I'll leave that judgments up to you and Victor. I wouldn't have suggested this if I'd have wanted to set boundaries, I know that Victor has trouble staying in those boundaries. if it gets to be too much for you I will understand."

"thank you sir."She said quietly, he got up and started for the door.

"Just don't let what's happening between the two of you interfere with his missions, I'm trying to improve his performance, not hinder it. " He smiled over his shoulder at her.

"yes sir."She answered as he shut the door. She still didn't trust him, but he was no longer standing in her way.

Rayne hadn't seen Victor or Stryker since the night at the bar, she'd been paired with John to prepare for a mission somewhere in Nigeria. She never thought she'd be taken into the field with them but the last mission she'd had to report on had so many conflicting stories she hadn't even been able to get Stryker's file straight, let alone the official copy. Stryker wanted to bring her on as an observer, John was explaining what she'd be doing.

"We will clear a way up, you will get to the top of this building," he pointed to the grainy satellite image" You'll just be observing, One of us will be up there with you. We know you can take care of yourself but we're not really sure what we're dropping in on. The rest of us will be inside, you won't be about to see what's happening but you should be able to hear enough to get the rest of our recounting straight, and see who is just makin shit up."

"wade." she mumbled.

"yea, wade. he...embellishes the facts a bit. "

"So I won't be doing anything but sitting with my thumb up my ass while you all have all the fun?"

"He he, pretty much sister. Unless there's a roof exit we don't know about, then some strays may come your way."

"I'll just hope for that then. Can't let you guys have all the fun."

Lagos, Nigeria. That's where Stryker had said they were headed. With the exception of some insults from Wade to Victor the plane ride was uneventful, Rayne rode in the front with Bradley and Stryker, Wade talked the whole time and Logan looked like he'd be sick. Once they were on the ground Logan was the only one who thought to ask why they were there. They didn't get an answer, instead Stryker directed Zero to the gate. Men inside began to shout thinks like 'intruder, man the weapons' Zero walked calmly to the gate, men lined the perimeter and weapons were loaded as they told him to put his hands on his head. Rayne knew it was imperative to the mission that he clear the gate but part of her wanted to see that bastard get shot. He complied with their demands, putting his hands behind his head. Before she could even blink his weapons were drawn. Weapons were firing from every direction, men falling faster than shell casings, Zero firing and reloading faster than she could track, he jumped the gate and didn't stop shooting until everyone in sight was down. Victor leaned over to where she was standing with Logan.

"Having fun yet?" he whispered. His pupils wide with excitement. She knew her part of this was easy but her adrenaline was pumping all the same, heightening her senses even more than normal. She could smell that Victor was excited, Bradley smelled like he was a loud noise away from pissing himself. Stryker smelled happy, like he knew that he was about to get whatever it was we came here for.

Victor took off to the rooftop first, it had been decided by Stryker that he'd clear the roof and She would follow. He scaled the side of the building in great effortless leaps, Rayne found it strange that she found the way he moved like that sexy, but to each her own she supposed. Stryker directed Fred to disarm the tank as Rayne made her way to the building. Scaling it took a few seconds longer for her than it had Victor but he had over a foot of height over her. the tank exploded as she reached the top, Victor smiled down at her as she climbed over the edge.

"Glad you could make it." He chuckled. She looked down to see the rest of the men go inside."There isn't an escape up here, we're in for a boring night." he said, looking disappointed. She listened to the building below her, she could hear the elevator cable whirring and knew they had a few minutes before any shooting would start.

"It doesn't have to be an uneventful night." she said, walking closer to him. She wasn't sure if it was the adrenalin or if she really thought this was a good idea but she was done arguing with herself. She laid her hand softly on Victor's check and leaned toward him, her eyes passing between his eyes and his lips, not knowing which to look at. He pulled away from her, taking her hand in his.

"Victor?" She didn't know what to say, she felt hurt and looked confused, it was all he could do to look back into her eyes and tell himself it was better this way, he dropped his gaze to her lips, soft pink and pouting before she spoke."Damn it Creed, why won't you just kiss me already?"

" I don't want to hurt you." Looking at his face she knew that he really thought that if he kissed her something would happen and he would hurt her. At the same time, she knew that she could handle herself, and him if she had to.

"I'm not afraid." She slid her arms around his neck, below her she heard the elevator stop, then start back up again. Victor closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. she leaned into him, the tip of her nose brushing his, she could feel his hot breath on her lips, feel his body tighten as she pulled her closer. He whispered, "You should be."

Gunfire a few feet below them snapped them to attention, Stryker and the team had reached the top floor, once the shooting stop they hear Wade announce the coast is clear in own annoying way. the sound of something rapidly compressing and decompression let Rayne know that John just teleported. She hears an unfamiliar voice offer Stryker diamonds before he tells the man that is not what he came for. Rayne doesn't know what it is he did come for, Stryker is no doubt showing the man but Rayne can't see what 'this' is from the roof top. The man tells Stryker about a village, somewhere she's never heard of. Stryker thanks him with a gunshot to the head.

2.4

Rayne was alone in her apartment. Stryker was in a hurry to follow his Lagos lead and the team took off shortly after they dropped Rayne off to start filing her reports. She had Stryker's documents done and was just waiting for him to get back to approve the 'official' document. He and the team had left 6 days ago, She wasn't sure when they'd be back. She didn't even know where they were. She was putting her typewriter away when there was a knock at her door.

"Who's there?" she yelled, tucking the typewriter under her bed, she hoped it wasn't Stryker, she'd been planning to go to bed after she finished the reports and had typed them up in her sleep attire, which was just a long shirt and panties. If Stryker was at her door he'd have to wait while she found some pants.

"It's me." The voice on the other side of the door was Victor's but he sounded strange, like he was tired or hurt. She opened the door without hesitation, once he was inside she motioned for him to sit on her bed. She locked the door and turned to him, he was sitting with his head in his hands.

"What is it Victor. What's wrong?"

"It's Jimmy...He's gone." he didn't look up when he spoke, he just shook his head in his hands.

"what do you mean he's gone?"

"He...we went to this village, Stryker was trying to find out where this damn rock came from. The man wouldn't tell us so Stryker gave me the order to kill him. When he did a woman in the crowd panicked and ran, Zero shot her. The rest of the crowd began to scatter, Wade pulled his sword. Bradley just stood there...Jimmy was yelling to stop, he was saving people from us...when the people stopped running he said that this isn't what he signed up for...and he walked out."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, but I think it means that you should leave too."She wasn't expecting that, and when she didn't answer, he looked up at her."Jimmy has always been around, no matter how bad things got. If it's bad enough for him to go then you shouldn't be here either."

"Fine, we'll go..."

"No Ray, just you."

"No. I'm not going anywhere without you, I just found you again so you can pretty much count on that not happening unless you're coming with me."

"I can't, this is where I belong. It's the only thing I'd good for."

"What, killing people cause some guy and a suit says too?"

"yes..."

"Fine, let that be who you are, but I'm not leaving. If this is where you belong, this is where I belong." He looked at her and she could tell by his face that he didn't think she'd fight him so hard to stay." you can't wish me away that easily." She whispered, leaning into him, pressing her mouth softly over his, half expecting him to pull away again. He didn't, he slid one hand behind her neck and pressed her closer to him. His other hand pulling her body down onto his. She sat, straddling him on the edge of her bed, kissing him, tasting him, touching him, running her hands over his broad shoulders, feeling the heat of his body so close to hers. She felt like she couldn't get close enough, she moved her hands under his coat and slid it off his shoulders, once he was free of it he brought his hands to her hips and pulled her even closer to him as his tongue dove between her lips. She could feel the length of him against her naked thigh, pulsing with every beat of his racing heart. She needed this, she needed to lose herself to him and he needed to lose himself in her. They'd both been waiting for this for far too long. His hands moved down her hips to the edge of her night shirt, working their way under in moments. his touch against her bare skin was intoxicating, she could feel burning trails of desire everywhere they grazed. They slid up, past her hips, feeling the curves of her waist. Stopping only for a second on her ribs to again pull her closer before moving onto her breasts. One warm, skilled hand lingered there, teasing her while the other pulled the shirt free of her body. She lifted herself off his lap, his hands sliding back to her hips as his mouth took their place on her chest. She reached between them to undo Victor's pants, gasping when his canine grazed her nipple making her miss the button she'd been reaching for, instead her hand caught his shirt. She pulled at the cloth until it was free of his jeans, she kept pulling until it caught under his arms. He pulled away from her long enough for her to slip the shirt over his head. As soon as he was free his arms closed around her, pulling her against him. With nothing between them from the waist up the skin on skin contact was invigorating. His body was hot and solid pressed against her. Her thoughts were no longer cognitive. Her mind was a fuzzy blur of want, she pushed him back onto the bed, crouching over him. She brought her mouth to his in a kiss rough enough to split her lip. It healed as Victor ran his tongue out to taste her. Her mouth opening to let him explore, his tongue was sweet and tinted with the copper flavor of her blood. He rolled so that her back was on the mattress before getting to his feet. She started to reach for him but he stopped her.

"Lay back" he said. It was almost a whisper between ragged pants, it was all he could do to control himself. He'd never even tried to control himself before, everything before now was primal instinct. This was, to a point. He needed her. He needed her to his core, the bulge in the front of his pants hindering his ability to undo his zipper was proving that. But this was different, this wasn't the animal seeing wanting and taking what it told his body he needed, this was the human side of him, seeing her, wanting her. Wanting to be with her because she was his, She'd always been his.

She reached her arms above her, watching him slowly undo his pants before sliding them over his hips. His eyes glazed as she stretched, arching her back off the bed, as she finished undressing herself. She did as he asked, laying still as he undressed, letting her take in the full view of him. She would have never guess that boy from so long ago could have grown into the bulk of a man standing before her. He was tall, handsome. His broad shoulders and strong chest topping off a sleek muscular physique, not the cut toned muscles that wade bragged of having but the tightly wound muscles that lurked just below the surface of the skin, waiting. Her breath caught as she gazed lower, a smile touched the corner of his mouth when he saw her looking. He knelt on the edge of the bed, a warm hand resting on her thigh as he brought his mouth to her knee, laying a tender kiss there before traveling further up her leg. He kissed the soft skin of her inner thigh, closing his eyes to inhale the scent of her as he rested his cheek where he'd kissed. She felt the hair on his face brushing her thigh, sending tingles up her body. He moved again, placing his lips in the tight skin where her leg met her torso, he felt her shake as he did so. He'd never done this before, he'd never cared about making any woman he was with happy, instinct told him to get what he needed and cast her aside, with Rayne it was different, his mind told him that he needed to taste every inch of her and who was he to argue with himself.

The smell of her was tantalizing, pheromones and her arousal tickled his senses as his longue slid into her. He was greeted with a warm, silky wetness that surprised him. She gasped, her nails digging into the sheets below her, his hands gripping her hips on either side of his head as he tasted her. His mouth moving against her wetness as effectively as they had her mouth moments before. Her hips lifted in a natural reaction, his nails digging into her legs to hold her to him. A puff of air escaped her lips as his nails dug in. No one had ever been able to hurt her during sex before, she didn't mind it one bit. He lifted his head to look her in the eye, she reached for him. His bottom lip glistened from her increasing wetness and she felt she wanted nothing more than to taste herself on him. her hand grasped at the back of his head, pulling his face to hers. His body sliding between her legs, the rigid part of him grazing her wetness. She kissed him, slow and hard, letting her mouth cover his. her arms reached around his back as she pulled him flat against her on the bed, her hips positioning themselves below him, allowing him access to her. The tip of his flesh rested against her, she arched into it, aching to feel him inside her. A gruff noise escaped him as he slid in, teasingly slow, she thought she would burst with anticipation before he'd fully sheathed himself in her. Once he was there he didn't move, he laid his full weight on her to keep her hips still, he just wanted a moment, one last moment of control, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it much longer as he felt himself inside her. Rayne looked into his face, him looking down at her, both of them frozen in this moment so long in the making. She felt full with him inside her, like she was whole. He pulled out of her slowly as he lifted his weight onto his elbows, her hands tightened behind his back. Her body moved towards him instinctively, pulling him inside her again as her nails extended, dragging through the skin of his back. He moaned as she moved against him, his control loosening with every thrust, every movement against her, every gasping breath that escaped her in ecstasy. Her eyes closed as her head tilted up, his mouth resting on the pulse it found on her neck. She hadn't felt like this before. She'd had sex out of need, but nothing was as satisfying as his body moving against her, the familiar smell of his skin filling her nose. She'd been missing this all her life, the connection people in relationships talk about. Sex had never been anything more than sex before, this was something new, something nice, Something that she hoped wasn't temporary. She knew she couldn't lose him again. Her body shook as a wave of orgasm washed over her, she pulled his face to hers, kissing him desperately before she whispered his name between breaths.

"Victor" It was barely a whisper, she hadn't wanted him to stop what he was doing but this needed to be said, "Victor" She said a little louder, he made a sound to let her know that he'd heard her but didn't make a move to talk. "Victor, I'm not leaving."

He stopped, motionless inside her, "What?"

"I'm not leaving you" she pressed against him, a breathy grunt escaped him as she continued, "I'm not leaving here unless you come with me."

"I..."She moved against him again, as though not stopping for this conversation would make it end in her favor. He knew she wasn't bluffing, he knew that she wasn't going to go without him and he knew that she couldn't let her stay here. He pressed himself completely inside her, her head leaning back in response, he put her mouth against her ear, making sure that his breath tickled her as he said "okay."

She woke up slowly, her body throbbing and tender from the night before. She stretched and rolled over. The bed was empty, the sheets spotted with blood. Rayne bolted upright looking around the room to make sure that she really was where she thought she was. It wasn't the first time she'd woken to a bloody bed, satisfied from the night before, usually it meant she got carried away and there was a body in the room. She smelled the air, the room was tinged with the metallic scent of blood and sex. Victor's scent still clung to the pillow beside her but she was alone in the room. She saw her old notebook on the small table by her bed, she flipped thought it, recalling the memories behind each sketch. When she came to the last page she saw the note she'd left for him and below it a note he'd left for her. It told her that he'd gone to get his things, that she should pack up and they'd leave as soon as they could. She closed the little book with a smile, walking into the bathroom to start a shower.

She stepped into the hot Stream of water, letting it was over her. Her body hadn't felt so relaxed. usually she was wound up tight, her instincts pulling against everything her mind told her body to do. she let out a long breath, letting her mind relax as much as her body.

Stryker knew that Logan deciding that he had a conscience all the sudden wouldn't bode well for his plans. Victor was a different story, he was an unknown factor. He saw the way he watched the girl, but he didn't know if that was enough to keep Victor from following his brother. Zero had followed Victor to her apartment and seen them together, at least that much of his plan was going smoothly. As soon as the tests confirmed that there was no relation between the two Stryker had been curious about the outcome if two genetic anomalies procreated, would it result in a duplication of both parent's mutation or would an entirely new mutation form in the next generation. It wasn't Stryker's priority as far as research went but any new knowledge on these monsters was useful. For now he'd just have to find a way to keep Victor from leaving with his brother, his healing wasn't as fast as Logan's but it would still useful for studying, the girl also had admirable skills healing herself but took significantly longer with serious injuries. In no way fast enough for his intentions.

He thought a moment, yes. He knew what he had to do. There were serious possibilities of this plan not working but he could afford some casualties. He called together a team and sent them out, Zero leading the pack.

She'd packed everything she cared about into one bag after her shower, clothes laid on the bed beside her. She hadn't dressed yet, instead she laid on the bed, face down in the pillow that smelled like Victor. the shower had washed his scent off her skin and she wanted it back. She heard heavy footfall in the hallway.

"Victor?" she sat up as the doorknob turned. The door swung open and guns began to fire, she rolled off the bed, the bullets barely missing her. She recognized Zero at the head of a team of men. She wondered briefly what she'd done when he shot again and she didn't move fast enough this time, the bullet tore through her ribs, when he walked closer she dove on him, clawing and punching at every inch of him, not even caring that the rest of the team was surrounding her, she knew there were more men in the hall, she could hear them now. She wasn't getting away from here but she was going to do as much damage as she could on the way out. Zero wasn't moving anymore, she jumped on the man closest and tried to make it to the door, instinct telling her that was the way to go. As she made it through the door frame several men grabber her arms and legs, she struggled against them, kicking one in the face, it only took seconds for a new man to replace him, Zero limped into view, spitting on her and putting his gun to her temple before speaking.

"I know you won't come easily, you'll fight the whole way. Stryker told me to be gentle...but you'll heal."

Only the sound of the gun firing registered before everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

3.1

Victor found the apartment door open, bullet holes riddled the mattress and he could smell that Rayne had been hit, the dried stain in the doorway was all the proof of that he needed. He didn't need to wonder who'd been behind this, He could smell that Zero had been there. Damn that woman, he told her to leave, he knew it wasn't safe for her here. He shouldn't have given in to his need for her, he should have helped her pack a bag and told her to find Jimmy. Should have made her leave. She wasn't safe around him. Stryker was going to answer for this.

He saw Zero first, a smug smile tweaked at his scratched up face. Victor snarled at him but kept walking. Stryker was the one he needed. He burst into Stryker's office, grabbing the man by the throat and letting his claws extend to touch his skin. He wanted Stryker to know he wasn't bluffing.

"Where is she" he growled. Zero walked into the room, taking aim at Victor,"I can kill him before you can shoot me Zero."

"He's right," Stryker answered, "and Rayne is fine Victor, put me down."

Victor lowered him to the floor but didn't let him go.

"I want to see her."

"And you will, Victor. She's being tended to as we speak. Unfortunately I need something from you first."

"What"

"I need you to find Logan, I just need to know that he's not going to bring any attention to us. I don't want you to contact him, not yet anyway, I just need to know that he's keeping a low profile. I'd send you after any one of the team that left Victor, you're one of my best and i"m sorry that it was Logan who left, but we need to know that he's not compromising us."

"why would i do that?"

"Because you want to see Rayne again Victor, and you want to see her alive."

She woke up, her head throbbing. She didn't know where she was, looking down at herself she saw that someone had dressed her in what looked like a cheap hospital gown. Below her was a concrete slab and around her a metal mesh cage buzzed with electricity. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out, could have been hours or weeks. She did know that unlike the last time she woke she wasn't relaxed, she didn't feel calm and loose. She was wound tight, and her body felt strange. The space between her legs felt sticky and she reeked of a chemical odor that reminded her of the nurses stations she used to work in. She thought about trying to break through the mesh, she would heal after all, but throwing herself into the current until she lost consciousness wouldn't do her any good.

She heard Stryker's voice coming from another room, it was muffled and incoherent. Minutes passed before he came into view. He walked up to her cage, admiring it's structure before looking at the woman inside it.

"Where's Victor." She asked, as calmly as her voice would allow.

"He left, about a month ago, to go find Logan. He asked about you. We assured him that you would be...kept safe and that he could see you when he returned. It took you longer than expected to recover. I admit curiosity got the best of me, I wanted to wait for you to regain consciousness before running some tests but I just had to know."

"Know what?"she asked, knowing that the results must have just gotten to him if the exam was fresh enough for her to smell like a clinic.

"That you're pregnant of course. Although i do wonder if you would have known yourself had you been conscious. Animals do seem to know on their own somehow."

"I'm...?" She couldn't complete the thought, why was he telling her this?

"Yes, i know it must be quite the shock. I am curious to see the child if i'm to be honest with you. I wonder if it'll have your eyes...it's father's healing abilities...his claws..."

She got to her feet and pulled her arm back to strike at the cage. "no no," Stryker tutted, shaking his finger at her." I wouldn't do that if I were you mommy. There's no telling what a few thousand volts will do to your unborn child. we're not even sure if it has any mutations to save itself."

Rayne felt her knees shake beneath her, she lowered herself to the ground. her breathing had quickened, she'd never thought twice about putting herself in after she found out she could heal from most anything, but she never thought about being in this situation. Sure she'd thought about children and what she could possibly pass on to them but she'd never thought about what if she didn't pass along her power to them, about what could happen to them because of her recklessness, because she knew she could survive it.

"If you just stay here, and remain calm and cooperative, you and your child will be perfectly well taken care of."

"I want to see Victor." It was all she could think to say. Did he know already?

"Oh you will, I'm planning on it."

He was reading over Bradley's resignation again when Zero notified him of Victor's return. Victor walked into his office but before he could speak Stryker did.

"I take it you found him, or you wouldn't be here."

"I found him," he laid a map on the desk between. "This will show you were. Now let me see her."

"Alright, just follow me." Stryker led him down a corridor that Victor had never noticed before. As they rounded the corner Zero came up behind them, shortly followed by Dukes and Wade. Victor knew that where ever Stryker was taking him he wasn't going to be happy with what he saw. Stryker was bringing back up in case Victor chose to do something about it. The further down the hall they went the more Victor understood the back up. Rows upon rows of empty cages streched alon side them.

"Stryker, where is she." his growl echoed through the room. Stryker didn't have to answer, Rayne did that for him.

"Victor?" her voice sounded quiet, hesitant like she was afraid that saying his name would make him leave her.

"Rayne," he knelt beside her cage, he reached toward her pulling back quickly when a shock ran through him. He turned to face stryker," What is this?"

"This? this is leverage Victor. I'm sure you recognize the concept. As long as you do as I say when i say, no questions asked. She'll be just fine."

"Let her out Stryker, she won't try to run and you'll still have your hostage." Victor reasoned, looking back at her.

"I would, but you see I'm afraid her instincts are going to be fight or flight once we let her out of that cage Victor and i can't have either. If she runs, well that'll just cause a lot of trouble. If she fights? Well, I'd hate for anyone she goes up against to accidentally hurt the baby."

"The what?" he looked between the two of them, waiting for a response.

"It's true Victor," She got to her feet so he could see her, in the few months he'd been looking for Logan her dressing gown had grown tight around the middle. She was nearly 5 months along now, having nothing to do in the cage but count days and think about getting out of her cage was all that kept her sane.

"So you see Victor," Stryker spoke," as long as you do your job, your little family will be fine."

Three months, that's how long Victor and the others had been hunting down and capturing other mutants like them. he didn't know what for and he didn't care. All he knew was that every time they brought another mutant to put in a cage, he got to see her. he got to make sure that Rayne and his child were alright. He hadn't known how to take the news at first, he'd been raised by a man that he could really only call father as far as genetics were involved. he decided that he would do whatever he needed to keep them safe, and he would. Stryker had told him that they'd examined Rayne again, that everything was going great and they were having a son. Stryker told him and he told Rayne, he couldn't tell if she was happy to hear the news, when he came to visit her she usually just sat there, barely speaking. He hated to see her this way but he knew that Stryker wouldn't not hesitate to kill her given the chance. Once or twice she'd ask about Jimmy, he didn't know what to tell her. He knew that Stryker was having him followed and watched. that he'd planted a woman to get close to him, keep him in one place. He never knew what to say to her when she looked at him. Her eyes said that she understood why he was following orders and keeping her safe, but at the same time they asked,'why aren't you trying to save me. Get us out of here.' He felt further away from her with her in that cage than he had before they'd found each other again. at least then there had been hope, this seemed hopeless.

Victor left again, tracking down someone else for Stryker. He hadn't wanted to leave, Rayne was about to have his child and he wanted to know she wouldn't do it in that cage. Not long into his trip heard that a prisoner had escaped, every part of him hoped that it was Rayne. He could find her again if he had to and he would. He knew that she would be safer away from Stryker.

She'd been laying on her side for 2 days now. Her body ached all over, she felt like she was dying and healing and dying all over again. When it started she had screamed for help, all the mutants in the cages around her had tried to get the attention of the guards but no help came. Soon she just decided that she'd die here. She and her son would die and when Victor came back and found out what happened he'd kill Stryker, he'd kill them all. And right then that was all the hope she was holding onto. As she lay there on the concrete dying was all she could think to hope for because it would free him.

She'd blacked out, she couldn't move her body and barely registered that she was in restraints. Everything was fuzzy, her body wasn't hurting all over any more. She could barely feel anything at all, She could feel a sharp pain in her lower abdomen and worried for her son before darkness took her again. A voice in the dark told others to keep her under, no matter the cost. that the drugs wouldn't kill her, that the child was his concern. She was thankful for that voice in that moment.

She woke up on concrete and felt better. Much better actually, she let out a sigh of relief reaching down to caress her very pregnant belly only to find it wasn't there.

She sat up in a panic, running her hands over herself again and again, not comprehending how this was possible, her body was the way it was before, it was like she'd never been pregnant.

"what the fuck" she whispered to herself before yelling "What the fuck!" she started slamming her hands against the cage, electricity jolting her with ever pound. What did she care, she couldn't die. She started slamming her body against the sides of the cage, hearing the mesh rattle under her weigh and her teeth grind as the current hit back again and again until she lost consciousness again. Her baby was gone and there was only one person who could be responsible.

The child was technically dead, although Stryker wasn't about to let it's parents in on that information until he absolutely had to. Rayne was already acting like an animal just seeing her bulging belly deflated. The baby had gotten his parent's healing ability, that much was certain when Stryker first took him, screaming from his mother's womb. The child was a monster, his face was almost catlike with his almond shaped eye and cleft palette. all twenty digits tipped with a lethal little claw. It answered some of the questions Stryker had wanted to know but not all. He picked up a scalpel from the table beside the heavily drugged mother and cut into the child. It screamed an unholy yowl before it's skin stitched itself together again. Good. He could use this specimen to isolate the healing gene and use it for the pool. That was all this tiny abomination was good for.

Now the child's lifeless body laid in pieces, separated into formaldehyde jars across the laboratory. For all Stryker knew the brain alone could still think, the eyes could still see, but the heart wasn't beating and that's all he needed to assure him that it was dead.

Victor came back from his latest assignment and went straight to Rayne, he'd been gone longer than expected, she should have had the baby by then. He hoped that now Stryker would let her out of the cage once he saw that she'd had the kid, that she'd see that trying to fight Stryker would only endanger them both. He came to the cage she had been held in only to find a mutant he didn't recognize in her place. His hands balled into fists as he marched into Stryker's office.

"Where is she!" he demanded. Stryker opened his mouth with a diplomatic response but Victor didn't wait for it. "WHERE IS SHE!"

"Victor I need you to calm down. She's fine I'll take you to her, but there's something you should know first...please, sit down."

"I don't want to sit, i want to know where she and my child are Stryker."

"That's what we need to discuss Victor," He stopped pacing and lowered himself into a chair before Stryker started to speak again," There were complications, with the child. We aren't sure what happened but one day Rayne went mad and started beating against the cage, when we came to help her she was unconscious and when the doctors opened her enclosure to check on her they couldn't find the baby's heart beat. I gave them permission to do an emergency delivery but it was too late, the voltage must have killed it. I told Rayne that might happen, i don't know what she was thinking Victor but ever since she regained consciousness we've had to have her in isolation, for her own safety. "

"...Take me to her."

3.2

Stryker had led him to a dark room where Rayne was being held, she was in restraints and under heavy sedation, Victor was waiting for her to wake up, to ask what really happened to their child. But he knew he couldn't, he knew that Stryker wouldn't leave them alone together and even if she could tell him the truth it would cost her life as soon as he left again. He struggled with himself as he waited, any move he made to save her could get her killed, he had to plan this carefully and he had never been one for plans, especially careful ones. If Jimmy were here he'd know what to do.

Before Victor could finish that thought Rayne's eyes fluttered, she started to mumble under her breath but to Victor it just sounded like she was saying 'no, no, no...' over and over again. He knelt on the ground beside her bed and whispered to her, making sure to keep the conversation from arousing Stryker's suspicion.

"It's me Ray, I'm here. Don't try to move, you're weak. Just nod if you understand alright?" She did," good. I just want you to know everything is going to be okay, Stryker will take care of everything. I'm not mad about the baby either. I know it wasn't your fault, understand?" She nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. Victor wiped it away for her and kissed her on the forehead. "I have to go now. But I'll be back soon. I promise." She nodded again as he leaned in and whispered into her ear, "I'll get you out of here, even if i have to kill them all."

More time passed and the visits to Rayne became fewer and further between, Stryker kept her under sedation 'for her own safety' and kept moving her so that Victor couldn't find her without an escort. Wade had been gone some time now, Victor didn't miss him but thought it was odd that he disappear from the group and no one was sent after him. He's a hit that Victor wouldn't have minded taking the job for. Victor had lost track of time, he didn't see days or weeks anymore, he saw orders, and he saw that each order he carried out was a step toward seeing her, and that was all that mattered to him now. Seeing that Rayne was safe, that she was alive, that she could still be saved. He didn't notice how much time had passed until Stryker sent him after Bradley. He hadn't seen Bradley since shortly after Jimmy left the group, he wasn't sure why Stryker was after him now but it wasn't Victor's job to ask questions.

He went to Ohio where he found a small traveling fair, once it was dark the low hum of electricity told him where his target was. When he got to the door he found himself unsure of what to do next. Normally he'd burst in, get the job done and head home. That didn't seem good enough for someone that had served on the same team as him, even if he didn't respect him he deserved to know who was taking him out. With no better idea Victor knocked and a voice inside answered.

"Show's over!"

Victor knocked until the door opened.

"I said, show's over." Bradley's face registered fear and panic when he saw Victor at the door.

"Show's never over for us Bradley."

The gadgets inside the trailer stopped their whirring. "Victor..."

"Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Yea," he said through a fake smile."Come on in." Bradley never though his home looked small before but with Victor inside it suddenly felt claustrophobic. Dangerous. He said the only think he could think to say. "You know I've never said anything, to anyone, about what happened. I'm leading a totally different life now Victor. No need to bring up the past..."Victor took a light from the ceiling and held it in his hand, watching the light die in his hand as he detracted his claws, making sure that Bradley knew what had brought him here. "You know, i always thought it would be wade, come knockin at my door."

"well...Wade's gone..."

"I'm not afraid of you, Victor. I'm not afraid of dying."

"How do you know? You've never tried it before." Victor made it quick, no use in making him suffer, it wouldn't get him more time with her. ***

Stryker left the next morning, his plan had been set into action and now it was time to make contact with Logan. He knew that the only thing that could bring him back to the team was his brother, and if that didn't work he'd have to destroy the new life to remind him of how much he needed the old one. A difficult but necessary plan of action in Stryker's eyes.

He pulled up the lumber yard where Logan had been working for the past several years. He saw the man he was looking for before the car had even stopped. Logan smelled him as soon as his feet hit the ground. he knew that Stryker was here for him and he was going to make sure he knew that he wasn't going back. He picked up his ax and walked over to the familiar man.

"My god, you haven't aged a day."

"clean living." Come on Stryker, he thought to himself, enough with the pleasantries, get to your point so i can send you packing.

"You remember agent zero."

"Still shooting first, asking questions later?" He put the cigar back in his mouth, chewing on the end waiting for a response. The end of his cigar exploded as zero shot off the end.

"you still chewing on cheap cigars?"

"Boy's please. I have a job for you." He had Logan's attention now. What made him think that after all this time he'd come back?

"I already have a job."

"lumberjack?" zero interrupted," 18 grand a year?"

"18.5, Plus I haven't had to kill anyone in a while."

"Starting to miss it?"

"right about now i am."

"yea?"

"Zero," Stryker was done with the banter, "back to the car." Zero did as he was told.

"that a boy." Logan mocked, clicking at him like you would to get a horse to move.

"You know I'm not proud of the way things ended between us." Stryker didn't miss a beat.

"Conversation's over." Logan didn't need to hear any more.

"Playing little house on the prairie with a school teacher, that just isn't you Logan."

"And you would know huh."

"i would."

"What do you want Stryker." It wasn't really a question, more a plea for him to get to his point.

"Bradley was killed three days ago," he said, handing him a newspaper to back up his statement, "Wade before that. I believe that someone is hunting down our old team."

"Anyone else?"

"As far as i know Victor is safe...but whoever it is has names, addresses."

"I can take care of myself." Logan walked to his car. he just needed to get away from here.

"This is not about you Logan, Your country needs you."

"I'm Canadian" He drove off, leaving Stryker to yell after him.

"I know you Logan! I know who you are!"

Victor wasn't sure about this. He hadn't seen Jimmy in a long time and he didn't like spying on him like this. He also didn't like that the woman living with Jimmy was working for Stryker too. He didn't like any part of this plan but Stryker had Rayne's life to hold over him as leverage and Victor knew that if the plan went well Jimmy would be back with him, and could help him save Rayne. If it went wrong Logan would go after Stryker and then Rayne could still be saved. Even if it meant Victor not being a part of it. He sat outside the cabin, listening to the woman talk to his brother, telling him some weird story about the moon and a wolverine. Victor wasn't really paying attention, it wasn't his job to take notes. The story was just part of the plan and he was just here to make sure that the woman didn't try to warn Jimmy about it. He wasn't sure how the woman had domesticated his brother but it was good to see him happy. Even if it wasn't real. It was good that Jimmy know that he could be happy.

The second part of the plan was already set, a wolverine's head left at Jimmy's work where Victor knew he'd find it. Something to let Jimmy know that they were being watched the night before. All Victor had to do now was wait. Part of him didn't want the girl to show, wanted her and Jimmy to get away from here. But he needed them, he needed the plan to work so he could get Jimmy back, so they could get Rayne back.

The beat up brown pick up rounded the corner right on schedule. She looked scared, Victor didn't blame her but she knew he wasn't going to hurt her. Not really. He dug his claws into the hood, making sure to leave distinguishable marks, making sure Jimmy knew it was him. This was the part Victor wasn't sure of, Turning Jimmy even more against him, But it had to be done. She drove the car into the ditch and took the poison that Stryker had given her, she'd live, but Jimmy wouldn't be able to tell that. Once she was unconscious Victor drug her body into the clearing and dumped a few packets of blood on her to make it look real. It was blood that Stryker had taken from her earlier so Jimmy would smell that it was her blood. He'd been planning this for a long time. Victor wasn't sure how long, but he didn't know if he wanted to know.

Once the plan was set into motion Victor went to a bar in town. It was a small place where the truckers stopped but it was the only place close enough for Jimmy to look for him. And if He really did love this woman like Stryker thought he did, he would come looking for him. He sat at the bar, carving a smiley face into the countertop while he waited. The bar tender noticed him and asked if he was from around here, Victor thought this was a stupid question. He wasn't wearing plaid so clearly not from around here. He just smiled and laughed as he asked what gave him away. Outside he heard Jimmy yell his name.

"you got insurance on this place?"

the bartender laughed nervously, "insurance?...no"

"too bad." he will be wishing he did if things go the way i expect they will, he thought to himself as Jimmy yelled his name again. He closed his eyes and smiled, he couldn't help himself. Everything was working, everything that Stryker wanted to happen, everything that if it went right and Victor acted his part would get Rayne out of her medically induced coma courtesy of Stryker.

Jimmy burst through the barn style doors, Victor took a deep breath before turning to him. He had to act like killing the woman had been his idea, he couldn't let the plan fail.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." the bartender said something about taking it outside but Victor didn't quite hear him. Jimmy's claws extended and the bar patrons scattered, Victor couldn't help but smile. It was good to see that Jimmy being domesticated didn't mean he'd lost his instincts.

"Why?" It was a single word that asked so much, and the answer was more than Victor could say now. The truth couldn't be told now, not yet. Instead Victor answered with sarcasm.

"Why? You don't call, you don't write, how else am i supposed to get your attention?" He got ready for a fight, he knew they couldn't do any real damage to each other, they'd had plenty of brawls over the years, but this was the only way to accomplish anything. Jimmy was mad, there was going to be no talking tonight.

Jimmy ran toward him, Victor Leapt out to meet him, his shoulder hitting Jimmy Square in the gut as he took them both through the bar doors. Victor got to his feet, grabbing Jimmy by the chest and throwing him into a nearby logging truck. He got to his feet and came back for more, they exchanged blow after blow, Victor throwing Jimmy into some machinery. This was too easy, victor thought to himself, He's out of practice.

"I hate to say it Jimmy but frankly I'm a little disappointed." Jimmy was getting to his feet, Victor didn't want this anymore, he wanted to be done, it wasn't a fair fight and beating Jimmy senseless wasn't doing any good for anyone right now."Stay down." He advised. Jimmy didn't listen. He got to his feet, throwing a good punch that sent claws through Victors shoulder, Victor returned the favor, digging his own claws into his brother. Jimmy struck quickly, stabbing Victor in the gut before tossing him onto a log truck, Victor landed on his feet, catching himself as he growled in pain. Jimmy tried to climb onto the truck to finish the job and when he did Victor kicked one of the supports and sent the whole truck load of wood onto Jimmy. He stood at the top of the pile for a moment, wondering what it was that this girl said to his brother that he'd die for her. He wondered where it went wrong, why Jimmy wouldn't die for him anymore. That's how it had been once, before Stryker. He jumped down, tossing the log off of Jimmy and pulling him up to eye level.

"Tell me something Jimmy, was she worth it?" He didn't answer, Victor heard a truck coming and he needed Jimmy to lose consciousness for this fight to be over. He tossed his brother like a ragdoll into the path of the semi. He bounced off and landed on the ground, his body trying to heal so he could keep fighting. Victor walked over to him.

"When are you going to figure it out. We're not like them."

"I...am nothing...like you." He answered between ragged breaths.

"sure you are" he smiled." you just don't know it yet. With that he stomped down on the claws protruding from his brother's hands. He knew that his body would focus on healing them first since they were his main defense which would keep him unconscious longer. It would give Victor time to get away.

3.3

Victor was turning out to be a great asset with the proper motivation. Stryker would have found him a girl long ago if he'd had known just how valuable she'd turn out to be. He would have never thought that he could turn Victor against his brother successfully but here he was, sitting in an ER hallway waiting for Logan to wake up swinging. Stryker couldn't help but think how lovely it was that his plan was falling together so easily when he heard a familiar voice in the other room.

"WHERE IS HE!...i said where is he!"

That was his queue. "I can help you." Logan glared at him, Stryker knew that this was the part of his plan that would make it or break it, he had to convince Logan that this had nothing to with him, that Victor had acted on his own. Stryker just hoped that He'd get a chance to speak as Logan held him against the wall by his throat.

"SIX years living here, no one knew me and then you show up and the next day she's dead."

"I tried to warn you."

"WHY DIDN"T YOU TELL ME IT WAS VICTOR!" he yelled. When he'd left the group Victor had Rayne, there was no reason for him to be doing this if he still had her. It was all he'd ever wanted.

"I didn't know!"

"you lie!"

"I swear, on my son's life i didn't." Logan Squeezed his windpipe until he choked before dropping him to the ground. "Victor's appetites were becoming too public, i had to lock him up. He felt i betrayed him. He went AWOL, said he was coming after all of us."

Logan felt there was still something Stryker wasn't telling him, but one thing he knew for certain,

"you didn't come to warn me, you came to save your own ass." Logan started to walk away. Stryker got to his feet and called after him.

"What's your plan captain? You can't beat him Logan, you know you can't"

"I'll find him and kill him." it may not have been the whole truth but it was true. if something had happened to Rayne and Victor truly had gone off the deep end, Logan would do what he had to.

"I can give you the tools to defeat him." This caught Logan's attention, anything that would give him a leg up would be useful, against Victor or Stryker himself." And we can still save the others."

"you mean save yourself. right?"

"I can promise you two things. You will suffer more pain than any other man can endure, but you will have your revenge."

"I come with you, I'm coming for blood. No law, no code of conduct. You point me in the right direction and you get the hell out of my way."

Today was the day, Logan had always been the ideal candidate for the adamantuim but there had to be some trial and error involved. The first test subject was clinically dead to start with but it was a perfect specimen. It was small so it wasn't a waste of resources and although it was dead and in pieces it still had regenerative properties. Stryker liked to think of it as a starfish, even though he couldn't help notice the way the tiny fingers clenched in protest to the experiment. One Stryker knew the bonding process was a success he'd begun the project full force but he knew it would never reach its full potential until today. Logan was being prepped for the tank and of his own free will at that. this was going to be a splendid day.

He was being lowered into the tank, the thrashing had begun, his heart rate pounding and his temperature rising before he flat lined. No, Stryker thought to himself, this can't happen, we'd been so sure! So many others before him it HAD to work on him. That's when the monitors started up again. Success! Finally, we can use his DNA along with that of the Creed abomination to strengthen the 11 and make the perfect weapon. Everything was a blur, Stryker knew he had spoken during the process but he couldn't remember anything before telling them to erase his memory. That's when it all went wrong. Logan came out of the apparatus in a rage, he made it to the door before anyone could stop him, and not for lack of trying.

"Hunt him down. Take his head off." Stryker wasn't sure if that would kill him or not but it was a good place to start.

Victor had been back on the island for days with no sign of Stryker, He didn't mind really, one of the nurses had taken him to Rayne and he was told he could stay with her until Stryker returned. Unfortunately she wasn't allowed to be awoken without orders from Stryker. Victor didn't like not knowing what was happening. He didn't know if the plan had worked, if Stryker was bringing Logan back to the compound, or if he'd done his job too convincingly and right now Logan was coming to kill him. He wouldn't blame him it that were the case, not like he could kill him anyway, but He knew Jimmy would understand when he saw his little girlfriend completely not dead here working for Stryker. Victor had expected her to be killed for real for just that very reason but he supposed that Stryker saw too much use for her abilities, not that they worked on other mutants.

Victor crawled into the small bed beside Rayne, letting her closeness comfort him on some level. He wished that he knew how to wake her up on his own but for now he would settle for sleeping beside her. It was better than not being with her at all.

Our position has been compromised. That's all Stryker could tell himself. Zero was gone, taken down by Logan who was now about to come after him. He was banking on using Rayne as leverage to make Victor protect him but he'd have to get back to the island first. He hoped that the adamantuim bullets weren't just a shot in the dark for a solution by his researchers. It was all he had to protect himself if Victor failed.

When he reached the island his first act was to find Victor, the final piece of the eleven needed to be brought in. He found the man exactly where he knew he'd be, with Rayne.

"Victor, i need you." he got up, looking back at the sleeping woman.

"I'd wake her first for you but it's urgent, i had hoped to give you more time before sending you out again but i'm afraid this can't wait." Victor started to speak before Stryker cut him off."She'll be here when you get back, in this room, awake and waiting for you if you can just get these last two mutants for me."

"that's it? the last two."

"Yes, the boy...and Logan." Victor didn't know what Stryker meant, he'd already delivered Logan to him on a platter, something must have gone wrong. "and...and the adamantium, you've seen the experiments, you've seen them fail time and time again. we need someone stronger. someone that will heal."

"Ok...the boy, Logan then I'll be your damn guinea pig. After that you let her go. No matter what."

Victor wasn't sure he believed him but it was the first time he hadn't started moving her out of the room as he left.

The target was a child, Victor wasn't sure what Stryker wanted with him but he couldn't deny the kid's power. Sure the douchey sunglasses were something to get past but once they were off the kid almost burned the whole damn school down. He must have been more important than he looked too cause this was the first time Stryker had come along on a mission to pick up a mutant. Victor wasn't sure what he thought of that, it didn't make his job any more or less difficult really, it was just strange.

Once the kid was down Stryker started talking and made Victor wonder even more what he was getting at.

"all that's left now it Logan, i trust you can handle that."

"i did before didn't i?"

"oh yes, you did that."

"our deal, it still applies right?" Victor wasn't going to let Stryker forget.

"Of course, now bag 'em and tag 'em captain."

Jimmy was here somewhere, Victor could smell it. Stryker had said just Logan, that's the only prize left to get before Rayne can be free, he forgot to mention john and dukes. He said that it wasn't planned, that they were just in the way but that didn't keep him from wanting a blood sample for his experiments. Dukes was easy, that fat slob would have died of a heart attack it he'd had the sense to run in the first place. It was more assisted suicide than murder. John wouldn't be so easy, he'd put up a fight, but he was predictable. He didn't know how many more people he'd have to kill or capture for Stryker for him to keep his word but right now he didn't have a better plan, and until he did the blood on his hands was worth it to keep Rayne safe. Victor didn't know what Stryker's plan was but he didn't want Victor to attack Logan, even when he was right there in front of him. He didn't want Logan brought in until his latest experiment was complete, that didn't mean Victor couldn't defend himself. Logan elbowed some mouthy kid in the face for interrupting the staring contest he was currently having with his half brother, Victor smiled, he would have done the same thing. Jimmy raised his fist to extend his claws and when he did Victor saw that Stryker's plan to use Jimmy as a guinea pig had been met with success.

"Ooo, shiney." he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be scared or not. All Victor could see was the over eager little boy from his childhood that snuck him food and followed him around all day. "tell me Jimmy, do you even know how to kill me?"

"I'm gonna cut your god damned head off, see if that works."

Logan started for him, Victor leapt at him again but this time Logan saw it coming and ducked, throwing Victor over him.

"Getting slow old man,"

Victor reached up to hit him but Logan countered by putting his claws through his hand, then into his collar bone.

"you some of a bitch, you're going to die for what you did to her."

Victor couldn't take this anymore, he had to tell jimmy that she wasn't dead, that Stryker had been playing him this whole time. He opened his mouth to say as much when the kid from before blew up the alley. Victor wasn't sure what had happened but he knew that whatever he was about to say would have to wait. He needed to get John's blood to Stryker if he didn't want her to be moved again. The boy stood between Logan and himself, now was his chance. He could come back for Logan another time, it's not like wither of them were dying any time soon.

3.4

When Victor returned Rayne was waking up, she wasn't quite conscious yet but the drugs were starting to wear off. He'd just gotten comfortable beside her when her heard a familiar voice. Jimmy.

He came into the room to see Stryker telling Logan that Kayla was real, that she'd been watching him the whole time, that he hadn't really killed her. She was telling him how her death was faked. She wanted to tell him that their relationship wasn't fake, he could see it in her eyes, and he respected her more for it. Logan walked away and Kayla was pleading with Stryker for her sister when Victor couldn't help but interrupt. He knew her request was useless now. He knew that Stryker would never let Rayne go as long as if was of his benefit to have her. The only thing Stryker wanted for her was standing right in front of him and he let him walk away.

"You let him go?"

"Victor please."

"you can't let him go."

"you can't beat him." Victor thought to himself, if i can't beat him then the only thing else i've promised is the experiment to get Rayne.

"Give me the adamantium!" he yelled, if that's all he wants in exchange for her.

"the tests came back"

"WE HAD A DEAL!"

"you'd never survive the operation"

"I can take anything he can." He didn't care if it wasn't true, he just wanted Rayne.

"no you can't, your my favorite soldier victor, be patient. Your time will come."

"He's using us" the woman interrupted. She tried to run out but Victor Stopped her, She screamed when he grabbed her and Logan heard. Victor knew that she was right, that he was being used. The rational part of him saw that it was true and didn't have a plan B, everything till now had been to do as he was asked in exchange for Rayne, now he felt cornered and his instincts tugged at the edges of his mind. The Animal inside him was threatened and wanted to get away, and the only way it saw was to kill anyone in his path.

"How about this time I kill you for real." He hissed to the woman in his hands.

"Let me go" she pleaded.

"Your little mind games don't work on me." he said, squeezing her tighter.

"Victor!"

Logan had come back for the woman, the woman that had lied to him, that had faked her death and tricked him for Stryker. Logan was going to kill him for this lying whore. It was all his fault. The animal screamed betrayal, it pounded in his temples that if Logan wouldn't have left that Stryker wouldn't have locked up Rayne, that everything was his fault. It was all his fault. He dropped the girl. Everything was a blur of motion, claws swinging in every direction. Victor was in a blind fury or rage, barely comprehending who it was he was attacking until they fell through a window. They landed with a hard Thud, Logan's claws sinking deep into Victors Sternum, he pulled them out once they landed and pressed them to his throat.

"Feels good doesn't it. all that rage. Do it." Victor wanted it, he wanted to die, if he was dead then Stryker would have no reason to hold Rayne any more.

"Logan!" The woman yelled down to him, "you're not an animal."

"oh yes you are." Victor pleaded," DO it, finish it."

He couldn't, He couldn't kill his brother, he didn't have it in him. Instead he knocked him out.

He woke a few seconds later and heard them talking about freeing the woman's sister, now was his chance. He had to get to Rayne. If he could get her out in the crowd of other mutants, it was his only chance.

He ran to her bedside, "Rayne, wake up. Come on Ray, please wake up." He yelled, unfastening her restraints, "please."

"Victor?"

"thank you, Rayne can you walk?"

"I...Victor, what's happening?"

"We're getting you out of here ok? Come here, hang on to me." he lifter her up, she seemed so small, so weak as he carried her thru the underground passages.

"Victor..."

"Shhhh don't talk, we can talk all you want later ok? but right now i need you to just get ready in case you have to run ok? can you do that for me?"

"Victor I just...Stryker, he did it. He took it."

"Rayne, you're ok now, I'm getting us away from him alright? Don't worry about whatever he took."

"it's his fault," she whispered. "he killed my baby, we need to kill him victor."

He stopped for a minute, the news wasn't shocking but to hear her actually say the words caught him off guard.

"I know...I've known since the moment he told me that you'd done it."

"Thank you." she sighed.

"for what?"

"For not believing him."

She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder, he kissed her head and kept running, he could hear voices above him on the surface and in the tunnel, he recognized the ones above. Logan was talking to Wade, which wasn't possible unless...

Victor realized then what must be happening above him. the dead pool experiment that Stryker talked about, it was Wade. That's why no one was sent after him when he left, he was never really gone. Logan didn't stand a chance.

They rounded a corner and almost crashed into the group of mutants trying to escape, some of them screamed and tried to run from him before they noticed he wasn't alone.

"You're going the wrong way!"he yelled.

"Like we're going to trust you." It was a blonde girl that spoke.

"look, go down this corridor and take a left, after that I'm not sure which route will be safest but they will both take you out of here,"

"why are you telling us this?"

"I want you to take her." he handed Rayne over to one of the older kids that looked sting enough to carry her, not that she weighed much now. "I want you to take her out of here."

"Victor no, please, come with me." Rayne pleaded, weakly reaching out to him. He took her hands in his, kissing her finger tips before letting go to take off his dog tags. He placed them around her neck and kissed her softly on the cheek

"I will find you again, I promise. But I have to help Jimmy"

She closed her eyes to keep the tears from running down her cheeks and she nodded that she understood as he left in the direction they'd come from.

Victor reached the top of the reactor just in time to catch Jimmy. Grateful for the assistance he still looked up with undeniable confusion.

"Nobody kills you but me." Is all Victor said, and that was enough explanation for both of them.

Before anything else can be said Wade appears between them , getting a few blows in before teleporting away.

"Back to back!" Logan yells. The change stance and wait, "I got him."

"Oh no you don't" Victor answers, regretting bringing Stryker John's DNA for the pool. The Attacker summersaults over them and while they're looking up teleports down, attacking both of them, systematically teleporting from one to the other so they can't figure out where he is attacking from. Finally Victor see's a pattern and catches him by the throat when he teleports again, Wade drives a blade through Victor as he's pushed into Logan's claws. They think they have him for a moment before he teleports to the opposite side of the reactor. The brother's stand in awe and confusion as the area around Wade's eyes darken. Victor try's to think of all the power's he's gathered for the pool and can only think that this won't be good when a blast of red hot energy blows them apart. As they get to their feet Wade single's out Logan, firing energy at him that he blocks with his claws. Victor take advantage of the distraction and starts to make a b-line for Wade. Logan holds on as long as he can, seeing Victor coming up beside Wade. He holds on until he's almost over the edge before throwing the energy back at him, the concrete below him explodes as Logan slides down the side of the structure, barely catching himself with his superheated claws. While Wade is down victor pounces, only to be struck by energy midair. Wade stands over him, pounding him with energy, barely missing as Victor rolls to the side, causing the concrete below to collapse, Wade readjusts to his Victor and notices too late that Logan has run up behind him, he turns to defend himself as Logan's claws slice through his neck, cauterizing the wound as they go. Logan kicks him into the reactor, his head and body falling separately. His eyes still burning with light, destroying the structure as he falls. Logan helps Victor up.

"This doesn't change anything between us Victor. We're done."

"We can never be done Jimmy, We're brothers. And brothers look out for each other." He feels the structure buckling beneath him, flashes a small smile to Jimmy and jumps. If Jimmy isn't smart enough to get out of here before the whole place blows, that's not something Victor can help him with. Now Victor has more important things to do.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red ribbon, it still smelled faintly of her. He couldn't help but take it off her night stand the morning after they'd been together, He'd lost the first one so long ago. He hoped that he'd find her again before he lost this one.


End file.
